Supporting the next generation: T-Level students gain first-hand experience

We recently welcomed three T Level students, Riley Mallory (Oldham College), Katie Riley (Oldham College) and Mabel Almonte (Manchester College), for a placement designed to provide meaningful, hands-on experience within the construction and consultancy sector.

The students were all in their 2nd & final year of their T-Level in Design, Build and Construction. As part of their T Level courses, the students spent time across a range of disciplines, gaining valuable insight into how projects are planned, costed and delivered in practice. From shadowing teams to visiting live sites, the placement offered a well-rounded introduction to the industry and the variety of career pathways available within it.

During their time with the business, the students engaged with multiple teams, including project management, cost management, building surveying, regeneration and infrastructure. They also had the opportunity to attend meetings, use industry software and see first-hand how collaboration across disciplines underpins successful project delivery.

Reflecting on her experience, Katie said:

“My time here at Walker Sime has gone by quickly. I’ve enjoyed meeting everyone and learning what they do and how they got to where they are today. It’s been an educational experience having done placement here and I have learnt more on what people in their job roles do. It has also been great to have gone out on site to two very different places and to have learnt about them. My next steps are to finish college and either go to university or find an apprenticeship.”

Riley added:

“During my work experience, I’ve had the opportunity to work across a range of teams including project management, quantity surveying, building surveying, regeneration, and infrastructure. I’ve taken part in real tasks, used industry software, attended meetings, and visited live sites, gaining a strong insight into how construction and regeneration projects are planned, costed, and delivered.”

For Mabel, the experience provided clarity on future career ambitions:

“I really enjoyed my time in Walker Sime and I found very helpful that everyone was so welcoming and were always happy to talk to us about what they do, what we do and want to do in the future. It was also good to meet people from each department and hear about their jobs, what they like and don’t like, and most importantly how they got there, because everyone took different routes and its helpful to know that there’s multiple routes you can take to become your desired profession.
As I want to become a project manager, on my third day I found out the difference between a project manager in consultancy and developing. This helped me understand the role better and get to the conclusion that in the future I would like to start in consultancy and then move to developing.”

Machala Campbell, Business and People Improvements Officer at Walker Sime, commented

“It has been a pleasure to welcome Riley, Katie and Mabel to Walker Sime. They have approached the placement with enthusiasm, curiosity and a genuine interest in learning about the industry. Providing opportunities like this is important to us as a business. It allows us to support emerging talent, while also giving students a realistic and valuable insight into the range of careers available within construction and consultancy.”

Placements such as these form part of our ongoing commitment to supporting early careers and investing in the future of the industry. By opening up access to real project environments and experienced professionals, the business continues to play a role in helping young people make informed decisions about their next steps.

We wish Riley, Katie and Mabel every success as they complete their studies and take the next step in their careers.

For nationwide multi-disciplinary construction consultancy, including Quantity Surveying, Project Management, Infrastructure Services, Regeneration Delivery, Construction Design Management, Bills of Quantities and more, call us on 0161 872 9955, email hello@walkersime.co.ukor message us here.