Around Ealing December 2018 | Page 10

JOBS AND SKILLS Constructing careers A Greenford school has been leading the way in the search for the next generation of construction and engineering professionals, reports Phil Brent. T he Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School is the first in the borough to offer Design Engineer Construct (DEC). It is an accredited learning programme and is equivalent to a GCSE. In the near future, the course will also become A-level equivalent and it has been such a success at Cardinal Wiseman that it is being introduced to other schools in the borough. ‘A HUGE SHORTFALL’ “There is a huge shortfall of young men and woman going into the construction industry and DEC provides a pathway for students to build their knowledge full stor y Read the and bolster their of h a video prospects of and watc action at securing full- a class in o.uk / time work,” said providing students with real- wsextra.c e n g n li a e c e d / Paul Foote, the world practical experience and s e r featu school’s curriculum employable skills. co-ordinator for The first group of DEC students design and technology. completed their qualification at Cardinal Through a project-based approach, Wiseman and received 18 A stars and DEC applies traditional academic four As. There are two more groups at subjects to the latest construction the school (in year 9 and 10) who are industry practices. The result is currently working through the course. ‘PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT’ Julia Podlinska, a recent graduate of DEC and now a year 12 student, said: “I’m proud to be part of the first group of students who have studied DEC. There is a special feeling amongst our class because there was nothing like this course before and we had to learn collaboratively.” Councillor Jasbir Anand, the council’s cabinet member for business and community services, said: “The success of the inaugural course delivered in the borough brings with it the promise of more for future students and shows them what they can achieve.” 10 around ealing    December 2018