Jerram Falkus Hosts Work Experience Placements for Barking Abbey Students

At Jerram Falkus, we are committed to engaging with the communities we live and work in. As part of our S106 social value commitment deliverables to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, we recently hosted two students from Barking Abbey School, Divine and Ella-Rhain, for a week-long work experience placement.

So, what did the students get up to on their work experience placements?

A Site Visit and Hoarding Activity

The placement began with an induction process where the students were given a tour of our head office and completed their health and safety training like new employees. Our Pre-Construction Director Simon Birnie was thrilled to host the placements as he was once a student at Barking Abbey School himself!

Throughout the week, the students learned about the business’s functions, including quality and compliance, pre-construction, marketing and new business, and accounts.

No work experience placement in a construction firm is complete without a site visit! For a change of scenery, the students embarked on a trip to Roxwell Road midweek, a new project still in the very early stages. This site visit gave them an insight into how a development is prepared for the main construction works. Our host students found the visit to a live site fascinating, particularly as they witnessed some rather impressive demolition works taking place whilst they were there.

One of the tasks assigned to them was a hoarding activity. The students researched what hoarding was and why construction sites needed them. With their research, they compiled a presentation with the goal being to deliver their findings to our MDs, Directors and staff. The presentation was well-prepared and included suggestions on how our company could improve our own hoarding.

Career Exploration

Despite having some ideas about their future careers, Divine and Ella-Rhain were open to discovering other options available in both the construction industry and the wider working world.

Ella-Rhain wants to be a Biometric Engineer or a Basketball Player, while Divine wants to be a Lawyer. Although there is not too much crossover between basketball and construction, there definitely is with the law! Not all law roles require courtroom work, despite what TV makes us think…

What Did They Learn From the Experience?

Divine: “I learnt that construction isn’t all about building. There are many things that have to happen before the building begins. Construction is also not just for men, even though society makes us think this. Women can enjoy roles in construction too, both on-site and in the head office. If I was to work in construction I would like to work at Jerram Falkus because they are like a little family and I would like to be a part of that family!”

Ella-Rhain: “What happens behind office doors and how every person in the company is important in some way. Each person is like a puzzle piece and when everyone works together the end product will be complete. But this couldn’t happen without everyone working together.”

Future Opportunities

Divine: “Yes, I would consider a job in construction, but mainly in the law or social media parts. Since English Literature is one of my favourite subjects in school, I think that is going to help me get into one of those types of jobs. One of the things I think I would enjoy about working in an office is that in many office roles, the work is never the same; it’s always different.”

Ella-Rhain: Yes, I believe there are options for me to consider in construction, and I am keen to research more into these. I am still very interested in engineering and basketball, but the experience has definitely opened my eyes.”

The work experience placement was an excellent opportunity for Divine and Ella-Rhain to learn more about the construction industry from a professional point of view. They gained knowledge and understanding of different roles within the company, visited an actual construction site and presented their ideas on hoarding. The student’s placements also enabled them to consider a future career in the construction industry if it wasn’t something they had considered before. We are confident that Divine and Ella-Rhain have gained a great insight into the world of construction and can take away some valuable lessons!

Overall, we hope this experience has benefited their personal development and future careers. It has certainly been a pleasure having them here at Jerram Falkus, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavours!

Thank you, Divine and Ella-Rhain! Your hard work and enthusiasm during your placement have been greatly appreciated. We hope to see you again soon!

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