Project case study - Perth College (University of Highlands and Islands)
The project team worked closely with academic staff and students at the nearby Perth College UHI to extend opportunities for learning and development. With the college offering courses including a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Construction Management and a Foundation Apprenticeship (FA) in Civil Engineering, the A9 Dualling: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam project presented a unique opportunity for students to access a major infrastructure project taking place on their doorstep.
Guest Lectures and Site Visits
Ken Brown, the project’s Corporate Social Responsibility Manager delivered several specialist lectures for students at the college. Ken is a project manager for the contractor, Balfour Beatty, with over 30 years of site experience.
In February 2019, Ken delivered talks on project management to Foundation Apprenticeship Civil Engineering students and HNC Construction Management students at the college campus.
These lectures were followed up by site visits to the project which gave students the opportunity to see the theory put into practice and to meet members of the project working on the earthworks, structures, and roadworks teams.
Work Placements
The project team worked with the college to provide opportunities for work placements for the students. The primary focus was to support the Foundation Apprenticeship (FA) programme, which requires students to complete a two-week placement as part of their course, however, the project was also able to provide opportunities in addition for three students completing different built environment courses.
In June 2019, two placements were offered to FA students, Ryan Campbell and Finlay McIlnea. Both students took on a site-based role, working alongside the project’s engineers. Both students performed so well in their placements that they were invited back to complete paid placements over the summer, following which, Ryan was hired in a full-time role.
Placements during the Covid19 pandemic
As part of the planned Community Benefits, the project aimed to provide further placement opportunities to FA students during the second year of construction.
The project team and the academic staff at the college shared the belief that site placements were vital for student’s development and, through close collaboration and careful planning, the placements were able to continue as a virtual work experience programme. Once restrictions allowed and it was safe to do so, the Foundation Apprentices returned to site placements.
In August 2021, the site team welcomed four students to site: Monica Carlin, who had recently completed a HNC in Construction Management; Fraser Russell, who was a FA Civil Engineering student due to be moving on to a Civils degree after the summer; Jamie McDonald, another FA Civil Engineering student; and Calum Hogg, a National Certificate Construction student moving on to study an HNC in Construction Management.
The students had the opportunity to shadow the site engineers for the first three days of their placement before spending a day each with the design partners, Atkins, and Transport Scotland’s site representatives, Jacobs UK.
This format gave the students the opportunity to experience this large civils project from several perspectives and gain insight into several different job roles.
All four students received bronze level Industrial Cadets accreditation for completing their placements.
