Work Experience

We connect

Wates Construction run an award winning work experience programme aimed at both school age, and HE students studying vocational courses.  

 "Work Experience Toolkit" takes each student through the process of how we develop relationships with clients, to winning work, planning work in time and money, and experiencing live construction projects on site.  The toolkit includes exercises for each day of the placement.  We believe the key to the success of the toolkit is for each student to be treated and feeling like a team member.

 Our teams work closely with schools, colleges, Construction Skills and local Education Business Partnerships to ensure our placement students have the maximum benefit of working with us.

We undertake placements in all different fields of the business, and can tailor our approach for the students needs.  An example of our commitment to work experience can be in Luton, where we have committed to take on 225 placement days per year, however already have exceeded this with 231 placements booked in for 2010.

We succeed

A local year 10 student, Shane Bigg spent ten days with the Wates Construction team in Luton in 2009 and enjoyed it that much he asked if he could come back for a further placement.  During his second placement, he realised that he wanted to train to be a project manager.  Shane has since applied for the Production Trainee Scheme, and was accepted by Wates to start in September 2010. 

Shane said: “I had always wanted to be a multi-skilled apprentice when I left school, but after the placement with Wates It has made me believe that I have the right credentials to be a Construction Project Manager.  I am grateful to Wates for giving me a place on their trainee scheme and although I know it will be challenging, I have the commitment to make it work”.

Categories: national delivery, pre-construction, CR, people, awards, national

Tags: Added Value, BiTC, Luton BSF, work experience