RAISING ASPIRATIONS /
Students involved in
CAMPUS
RENOVATIONS
work. Most apprentice joiners do not have
the opportunity to carry out this type of
work as it is beyond what would normally
be covered in a standard joinery course.”
WORKSMART’S APPRENTICE JOINERS
JAMES HARKER, STEPHEN HART AND ALEX
SHAW HAVE BEEN LEARNING THEIR TRADE
ON CAMPUS BUT NOT JUST WITHIN THE
CONFINES OF THE CLASSROOM.
He added: “Worksmart is a platinum
dealer of Optima Systems in the UK and
specialise in architectural glazing and
our apprentices receive the best training
possible.”
Tradespeople rarely have the opportunity
to see the final result of a project but,
in this instance, the apprentices are
ultimately the end user as they encounter
the product of their labour on a daily
basis and can see how it fits into a real-life
working environment.
The three are currently undertaking a
Modern Apprenticeship with Ayrshirebased interiors fit out and refurbishment
company Worksmart, who during the
For lecturer Graham Gilbert this is
summer of 2015 completed refurbishments significant as “the close links between
at the Dam Park campus.
students and employers help to
contextualise the learning site”.
The McLaughlin Construction led project
saw the apprentices, alongside their
experienced co-workers, install Optima
217 double glazed systems, an Optima
Technishield fire screen, and Forza timber
doors allowing them to build upon their
skillset and expand their knowledge of
complex construction systems.
The work carried out by these apprentices
is testament to the first-class training
provided by Worksmart, as Project
Manager and former lecturer Alan Speirs
explained: “Demountable partioning and
glazed fire screen systems are specialised
THE STUDENT VOICE: SPRING 2016
Modern Apprenticeships offer individuals
the best opportunity to break into their
chosen industry.
For apprentice Stephen Hart, the
programme has allowed him to realise his
ambition. Despite always being interested
in construction, he struggled to start out in
the industry and went on to work in social
care for twelve years.
He says: “I have always enjoyed
construction work and combining it with
learning joinery and other skill sets.”
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