As part of the Arbroath a Place For Everyone project, contractor Balfour Beatty is working with Angus Council to deliver benefits to the local community that will provide a positive social impact and a lasting legacy for the project.
Their Social Impact plan includes a broad range of benefits including engaging with schools, supporting people into work, providing expertise, materials and funding to local groups and charitable organisations and procuring from local businesses.
As part of this plan, Balfour Beatty has been working with the council’s Skills for Work Coordinator to offer work experience placements to young people from Angus.
Sixteen-year-old Arbroath High School pupil Jack Watson took up the offer of one of these placements, working with the Balfour Beatty project team to explore further his interest in quantity surveying. The one-week placement provided him not only with direct access to a commercial team and quantity surveyor, but also gave him an overview of the whole programme and how the various members of the team all work together to deliver a complex infrastructure project.
The placement was accredited with the Engineering Development Trust’s ‘Industrial Cadets’ programme – an industry recognised certification scheme which will support Jack in future applications to college or university or when applying for apprenticeships or jobs.
Jack said, “Working with the team has been really helpful and I’ve enjoyed learning about the project and the work that has gone in to reducing the impact on traffic while the build work goes on.
“I think the finished route will look much nicer and more modern and will give a much better impression to people coming to Arbroath.”
Balfour Beatty’s Alan Cooper said, “At Balfour Beatty, we understand the importance of enthusing and inspiring the next generation of construction professionals to help us deliver the projects of the future. A fundamental part of that is supporting young people’s first steps into the world of work through work placements.
“We were delighted to support Jack to learn more about Quantity Surveying as well as the countless other roles that make up our project teams. He has worked really hard over the week, showing confidence, resilience and a passion for knowledge that will serve him well in future.”