Built Environment Academy

The team, alongside colleagues from Education and New Supply visited Summerlee Museum to deliver a fantastic event with Cruden Homes for local primary school pupils linked to the Bank Street development in Coatbridge, a significant North Lanarkshire project aimed at providing new housing and revitalising the town centre. 

The children were challenged to design and build eco-friendly model houses using cardboard and a variety of recycled materials.  Creativity and ideas came to life as they learned about construction, sustainability and problem-solving in a fun and engaging environment. 

The event also provided an excellent opportunity for some of the High School STEM Ambassadors to support the younger pupils, demonstrating leadership, communication and mentoring skills while helping to inspire the next generation of learners. 

The activity also encouraged pupils to consider future careers in architecture and construction, a key objective of the event.

Young people on our Pathways Programme participated in the Future Builds Academy, delivered with The Verdancy Group and Apex Training.  

The programme united education, training and industry partners to lay out routes into the sector of the built environment.  

During the course of 15 weeks, the young people worked towards The Verdancy Group’s SCQF Level 5 Award in Understanding Domestic Retrofit, making them the initial cohort in Scotland to complete the qualification. 

The young people also attained qualifications in areas including asbestos awareness, working at height, abrasive wheel safety and hand arm vibration, as well as hands-on experience in insulation, ventilation, thermography, moisture management and low-carbon technologies. 

Young people identified by schools as being in danger of leaving education and entering a negative pathway after school are supported by the Pathways Programme.

We worked with SP Energy Networks and their main suppliers to fill jobs that need skilled workers. Together, we helped 14 local people get roles through a two-year Adult Craft Apprenticeship, Overhead Line Inspector positions at SPEN, and other trainee jobs with their supply chain partners. 

Sessions were delivered at Built Environment Smarter Transformation's innovation centre, to almost 530 senior school pupils currently carrying out a Foundation Apprenticeship in Construction or Civil Engineering, S1 pupils and educators across North Lanarkshire schools, colleges and training providers. 

The sessions covered knowledge and training in Retrofit, Passivhaus, Digital Construction and Modern Methods of Construction, whilst considering the Fabric First approach. 

Focusing on practical sessions to engage learners, the programme aimed to grow skills, confidence, and competencies essential to reaching Scotland’s net-zero carbon target. The skills workshops enhanced key learning at a critical point of change for the construction industry, whilst allowing participants to gain awareness and hands on experience of cutting-edge techniques. 

This programme, delivered by Tigers Construction Academy, supported 40 participants aged 16+ from North Lanarkshire to take their first steps into Construction while gaining work experience. 

Participants received training to support both practical and theoretical knowledge in the construction industry. 

Practical training included Ground Preparations, Shuttering Joinery, Bricklaying, Mono-Blocking and Drainage. Theoretical training included Health and Safety, Asbestos Awareness, Abrasive Wheels, and Working at Heights. Participants were also supported to gain their Green Labourer CSCS Card. 

Tigers supported learners to explore their career options, whilst providing a focus on all aspects of construction and wellbeing, which supported 28 participants into a positive destination.