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Adopt a School programme links IKB Academy and CampbellReith

19 July 2017

CampbellReith has partnered with IKB academy under the Constructing Excellence South West’s Adopt a School programme.

The Adopt a School programme has been developed to tackle the industry’s talent shortage by linking companies and schools with the objective of changing perceptions among young people, the school and their parents. The construction industry has an ageing workforce and every sector is struggling to recruit the best young people. Its research has shown that a career in construction is seen as a last resort for those who have not performed well at school.

CampbellReith and IKB marked the launch of their partnership this July with an immersion day, in which our staff spent time in the classroom and the students visited the company’s Holburne Park development on the Warminster Road, Bath, where CampbellReith is currently designing a high rise residential scheme. This enabled the students to see various stages of the construction process, visit the marketing suite and speak to the contractors to get first hand experiences and opinions.

IKB Academy opened two years ago for students aged 14 to 19 and is focused in science and engineering education. The students, who are pursuing academic A-level and GCSE courses as well as undertaking regular work experience with employers linked to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects were fired with enthusiasm.

Riana Cano said: “There were so many interesting things to see on site and I really enjoyed looking at the different aspects of construction”.

Debbie Gibbs, principal of IKB Academy, said: “It is really important for us to collaborate with local employers in the STEM sector. The Adopt a School programme is a great way to make those links for the benefit of the students and the businesses that are involved.”

Jamie Siggers, Partner at CampbellReith, said: “We are very pleased to formalise this relationship with IKB Academy through Constructing Excellence South West’s Adopt-A-School initiative. We have held a relationship with IKB as our local academy since their inception, but this new relationship provides more scope to support the curriculum and to encourage students into our diverse and rewarding industry.”