Stoke on Trent College - Construction & the Built Environment

Four of our first-year Multi-Trade students demonstrated brilliant competency just 2 weeks into their course...

Keep up the good work! 🧱🦾

This week, the Level 3 year 1 students began to research and practice the different types of drawing styles that are used by architects.

Today, we welcomed Martin and Holly from Glancy Nicholls Architects, who set the learners an architectural brief, which brings the theory they are learning in the classroom into the context of a real architectural design brief.
Over the next month, the learners will produce a range of manual sketches and CAD drawings as part of the project brief and present these as a professional portfolio.

We also welcomed Sophie from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) who has helped us to become part of their architectural ambassadors programme.

What an amazing day.

Glancy Nicholls Architects
RIBA West Midlands

The Level 3 year 2 students have been learning about the importance of stakeholders within different projects. Today they looked at stakeholder mapping strategies and how the needs of the stakeholders differ depending on the construction scenario.

Today, the L3 year 1 students started work on their drawing unit. They discovered what equipment is required for manual drafting and then proceeded to create their own worksheets experimenting with different shading techniques.
Over the next few weeks, they will develop these skills to produce single and two point perspective drawings of the interior and exterior of buildings.

Today we have welcomed Jonathan, Sam and Hannah from JC Associates who specialise in Quantity Surveying and Project Management. They gave a fantastic presentation to our L3 Year 1 learners about the different types of Surveying that they get involved with, the projects they manage, and the people who they deal with nationwide. All the learners found this very interesting as it links in perfectly with the new uint that they have started - Building Surveying.

Our year 1 Construction & the Built Environment students have been carrying out a range of different revision tasks for their up and coming exam in Construction Principles next week.

They have taken part in an intense game of Construction Mastermind, completed mock exams and Kahoot revision quizzes as well as helping eachother revise in between sessions. Great work year 1.

After 4 weeks of guest speakers and trips, the Level 3 year 1 students on the Construction and the Built Environment course embarked on thier last trip of the year to Lucideon in Stoke.
Lucideon specialise in the testing of construction materials, which fits in perfectly with our Unit 1 - Construction Principles, looking at stress and weather testing on the different materials used within the industry.

We have been so lucky with all of the employer support that we have received so far with: trips, guest speakers and work placements it really does have a positive impact on our learners.

We had a fantastic tour of the TopHat One factory yesterday (as featured on an episode of Grand Designs).
TopHat specialise in volumetric modular construction. Thier innovative solutions makes them one of the market leaders in the UK for housing that is created in a factory setting. Their pre-rabricated homes are absolutely amazing, created with sustainability at the heart. Each home is highly energy efficient and can be made and rolled off the line within a few days. Amazing. 😃

Today the Level 3 year 1 students took a trip to the Ibstock Brick factory in Chesterton, to look at how bricks are manufactured. All learners found this really beneficial as it links in with their exam unit Construction Principles, where they have been learning all about the different types of brick and their use within the built environment.

We have had a busy few weeks on the L3 Construction & the Built Environment course. We visited the Hawksmoor road site again last week in Stafford, to see how the site has progressed over the summer.
It's fantastic for the students see a Construction project in real time, being built from start to finish. A brilliant asset for our Unit 17: Projects in Construction.