Gelder Group recently welcomed a group of learners from Abbey Access Training to its Carholme Road site, providing valuable real-world insight into the construction industry for individuals looking to begin or restart their careers.
The visiting group, aged between 17 and 34, included both male and female learners who are currently not in education. Many have recently left education, are returning to work after a break, or are seeking a career change. All attendees share a common goal: to secure employment within the construction sector, either through full-time roles or apprenticeships.
The initial visit was arranged by Simon Hinton, a former Abbey tutor, who understands the importance of connecting classroom learning with live site experience. Following the success of the first visit, Simon has committed to facilitating further sessions as the project progresses, enabling learners to see the development evolve over time.
These visits provide significant value not only to learners but also to tutors, who can observe how projects advance and translate this into their teaching. Each learner typically has a preferred area within construction they wish to pursue, and being on-site offers a unique opportunity to explore these interests in detail. Learners are able to engage directly with tradespeople and site management, gaining practical insight into day-to-day operations and career pathways.
The Carholme Road site also presents the added learning benefit of being a smaller, more compact development. This allows learners to better understand the challenges such environments pose, including logistics, space constraints, and the impact construction work has on the surrounding community.
