Last Thursday, we were proud to attend the Choose Your Future Carmarthenshire careers fair, jointly organised by Careers Wales in collaboration with Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthenshire County Council, and Castell Howell Foods.

Held at Parc Y Scarlets, the event welcomed students ranging from Years 10 to 13, hailing from Carmarthenshire and neighbouring areas. Later in the day, parents also joined, making a total attendance of over 2500 individuals this year! The day proved to be an excellent chance for participants to delve into the vast career options and pathways available to young people, across all industries.

The construction industry had a strong presence, boasting representation across various sectors. We were thrilled to have a number of our esteemed partners join us for the event, including CCTAL, Lloyd & Gravell, Jones Brothers (Henlan) Ltd., J Randall, CITB, TAD Builders, PCR Global Ltd., Swansea Bay Construction Support Group, Castle Scaffolding, Morganstone, Tilbury, Andrew Scott and Bouyges.

The day was full of excitement for both employers and students alike. Companies, including ours, seized the opportunity to showcase their impressive projects and company setup. Notably, the event provided a platform for companies like J Randall and Castle Scaffolding to spotlight the important trades of roofing and scaffolding, coined by both Monique Jones (J Randall) and Emma Pienaar (Castle Scaffolding) as “forgotten trades”.

Engaging with students, parents, and educators was a privilege, allowing us to discuss the benefits of construction apprenticeships, various professions within the industry, and guide them towards our partners and the specific sectors that collectively form the construction field landscape.

Speaking on the Choose Your Future event’s importance, our Training Coordinator Sophie Davies said:

“Events like Choose Your Future are so important. It gives the opportunity for young people to see what is available for them outside of the traditional academic routes that are more frequently talked about.”

Recognising the complexity and pressure that comes with deciding your future, was at the forefront of our team and partners’ minds – Mark Whitby and John Davies of CITB (the funding and training body of Construction England, Scotland, and Wales) added:

“We understand that kids in years 10 and 11 have an incredible amount of pressure to make a decision on what they want to do – days like today are important as we, as employers and businesses, can display career options – helping young people to make informed decisions.”

Alongside offering guidance on apprenticeships and sharing expert insights into various career pathways within the construction industry, our team and partners led students through a diverse range of virtual reality experiences. This immersive approach not only enabled curious students to gain hands-on experience in different construction tasks but also showcased the evolving landscape of construction training methods. The popularity of these simulations was evident from the long lines of students eagerly waiting to participate, indicating a promising interest from the next generation of workers!

Students participating in the VR experiences.

Operating the Simpray simulation, an industrial-level paint learning system, was Steffan, the Customer Assurance Director at PCR Global Ltd.

Discussing the available VR experiences and the event, Steffan said:

“The transition of manual work within the construction industry is becoming increasingly virtual. The Virtual Reality experiences provide valuable exposure for students, interested in pursuing careers in construction, as it allows them to witness the evolving virtual training that awaits them.”

Sharing the same sentiments, whilst demonstrating the spectacular Futurescape VR, our Shared Apprenticeship Coordinator, Euros Griffiths said:

“Days like this are integral for both students and our industry – they promote all the brilliant opportunities construction can offer in training and careers.”

“Giving students access to new industry exclusive technology is a chance to show people where the industry is going – revolutionising the stereotypical image associated with construction.”

Following a fantastic day of connecting with potential apprentices and engaging with fellow construction businesses, we extend a heartfelt appreciation to our Training Manager, Lynette Daniels, for organising the participation of our partners and team.