Skip to main content

• Home
• About Us
• Study
• Campus Life
• Support & Advice
• News & Events
• Vacancies
• Contacts

• School Leavers
  • School Leavers
  • Courses
  • Ways to Study
  • Student Finance
  • Support with your Learning
  • Our Facilities
• Adult Learners
  • Adult Learners
  • Courses
  • Modes of Attendance
  • Professional Development
  • Student Finance
  • Support with your Learning
  • Facilities
• Employers
  • Employers
  • Training Courses
  • Modern Apprenticeships
  • Vocational Qualifications
  • Back to Work Training
• International Students
  • International Students
  • Immigration & Visas
  • Finance
  • Cost of Living
  • English Language
  • Accommodation
  • Support Service
  • How to Apply
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us

Friday 25 June 2010

Teen Students Prepare for Work On Alloa Campus Site

Two Wee County teenagers on a Forth Valley College Get Ready For Work programme are putting their new skills to good use helping Miller Construction build the new college Campus in Alloa.

Martin Hunter (16) from Alloa and Cameron McDonald (16) from Alva have been learning painting and decorating, plumbing, joinery and bricklaying skills at the college’s Alloa campus since January. And the eager pair have recently been placed on work experience at the new construction site in the heart of the town where they will remain until their course finishes in early July.

Miller Construction have been delighted to help FVC students to enhance their training while they carry out general labouring and odd-job duties, keep the site clean and tidy and make sure it is safe for workers.

A key incentive in the Get Ready For Work students’ training – which is funded by Skills Development Scotland - is that they get to see at first hand how professional tradesmen operate from day to day and hopefully pick up good habits right at the start of their own careers.

Former Alloa Academy pupil Martin, said: “It has been great being on site with Miller Construction as it has really opened my eyes to how things work on a building site from day to day. I want to be a plumber and it’s really great to talk to people of all trades and get a rounded view of things. It’s a very worthwhile experience and has been a great fit with our college training. ”

Cameron, who went to Alva Academy, said: “I’m thinking about training to become a plumber or a joiner, but I’m really glad to have had the opportunity to come on site and find out about the procedures and health and safety guidelines. I would thoroughly recommend Forth Valley College’s Get Ready For Work programme and if anyone gets the chance to come on site with Miller they will not be disappointed.”

Miller Construction have been so pleased with the programme that they are looking to welcome around 30 more college learners in the coming months and this will work in conjunction with popular educational visits to the site and road-shows to inform local people on how the build progresses.

Liam Short Miller Construction Site Manager at the new Alloa Campus, said: “The two lads we have on site from the college have been great. They are eager to learn and are here everyday on time and raring to go. They mainly keep the site clean, tidy and safe and that is very important as they are learning the proper health and safety guidelines for a building site at a very early age. They do seem quite level headed and if they take in the health and safety message that is half the battle at this stage.”

“I remember when I first started about four or five years ago that was my job and I am now a site manager, so if they work hard they could go on to do well in their chosen careers. Experience such as this is invaluable for them as they are getting to see at first hand the speed, process and daily running of a busy construction site.

“We are delighted to be employing local firms and tradesmen, giving local students the work experience they need and inviting schools and other groups on educational visits in order to put as much back into local life as we can.”

Ian Morrison Forth Valley College’s Head of the Department of Construction, said: “Miller Construction have been absolutely fantastic in accommodating our eager construction students who can’t wait to secure placements on a working site.

“As they learn their core skills and theory at the college, where better to gain first hand experience than on the site where the new college campus will be built. It’s a perfect fit and we also look forward to the planned educational visits proving to be popular and worthwhile as the new campus takes shape in the coming months.

“Forth Valley College will be working closely with Miller Construction to ensure maximum benefits go to the local community while the building work continues.”

Tags: Clackmannan, Construction, Estates

<  Return to news