We are proud to invest in our NewGen programme promoting diversity and inclusion within the built environment and addressing the industry’s current skills shortage.
Find out moreG&T's NewGen Hosts Virtual Careers Carousel
Last week G&T was excited to welcome Year 12 students from Heathcote School & Science College and Barking & Dagenham College to the first virtual careers carousel as part of our ongoing NewGen programme, for an exciting afternoon of career advice and job seeking skills with NextGen volunteers from across the built environment.
In partnership with the charity 15 Billion EBP, G&T welcomed 30 students who met with volunteers from our NextGen partnerships, New London Architecture, London Property Alliance (City Property Association & Westminster Property Association) and Revo Hub, to receive career advice and practise key job seeking skills.
“I really enjoyed the event, learning the different ways people get into the construction industry and meeting multiple people with different responsibilities from the same industry.”Kate-Lyn
Heathcote Student
As a firm we strongly believe in engaging with young people from the communities and boroughs we work in but know that by pooling our efforts together more of an impact can be made. This event was run as a part of G&T’s NewGen programme which focusses on promoting diversity and inclusion within the built environment with an overall goal of addressing the industry’s current skills shortage. By working with charities and industry bodies we want to help create opportunities of social mobility for children in schools or boroughs where they might not otherwise have them.
“It was a valuable event for the volunteers and the students. The students got a lot out of it, I wish I had the opportunity to meet experienced professionals when I was at school.”Lucy Rose
G&T Volunteer and Assistant Project Manager
On the afternoon of the event Anne-Marie, Programme Manager at 15 Billion EBP, welcomed the volunteers and students explaining about the background of the initiative before passing over to the NextGen volunteers to introduce themselves and their NextGen organisations.
“It is important to nurture the next generation and experience new ways of communication!”Nick Strachan
Revo Hub Volunteer, Committee Member and Director at Leslie Jones Architecture
Students were split into six breakout rooms to practise elevator pitching, presentation skills and interview techniques, with the volunteers offering advice and feedback. They then had the opportunity to ask questions about the volunteers’ current job roles and the routes they took to get there, receiving invaluable insight into the opportunities available in the built environment. The volunteers shared their experiences of working in the industry and the variety of different entry routes. The final task asked students to debate what new school building features would be appropriate for a focus on sustainability and adaptability, two things which have become increasingly important for schools over the last year.
“Speaking to people from different sectors in the industry helped me to learn more about the built environment. Working on the team task was also extremely useful as we got feedback which will help when it comes to real interviews.”Jasmin
Barking & Dagenham College Student
We were proud to collaborate with 15 Billion EBP to deliver this event, an innovative charity committed to transforming the futures of young people and promoting social mobility. Every year they bring together hundreds of volunteers, educational organisations, schools, businesses and other partners to inspire young people to achieve their potential and thereby increase the opportunities available to them.
The careers carousel was part of the Mayor of London's ESF Programme, 15billion's Local Futures Careers Cluster, which supports careers education in schools and colleges in Barking and Dagenham and Newham.
We would like to thank all of the NextGen volunteers who took part:
London Property Alliance
- Warda Ahmed – Development Manager, Dolphin Living
- Mailys Garden – Principal Consultant, Momentum Transport
- Liam Lawson Jones - Assistant Planning Consultant, Gerald Eve
New London Architecture
- Sophie Smith - Planning Solicitor, Forsters
- Sky Harris – Business Development and Media, WT Partnership
Revo Hub
- Pablo Pimienta – Senior Asset Manager, Cadogan Estates Limited
- Nick Strachan – Director, Leslie Jones Architecture
Gardiner & Theobald
- Lucy Rose – Assistant Project Manager
- Matt Pilgrim - Assistant Surveyor
- Grace Allen - Apprentice Surveyor
- Khalid Meah - Assistant Surveyor
If you or someone you know would like to get involved in our NextGen programme and take part in future similar events visit our NextGen hub.