Bricklaying students from TyneMet College have been given a unique opportunity to experience life on a live construction site during a visit to South Tyneside College’s transformational new £95 million campus development in South Shields.
The visit saw twelve Level 1 Bricklaying students from TyneMet College take part in an industry-focused experience designed to showcase how the practical skills they are developing in college are applied within a real working construction environment.
Hosted by Castle, the lead contractor delivering South Tyneside College’s new campus project, the session began with an introduction to the Hebburn-based construction company and an overview of the large-scale development currently taking shape in the heart of South Shields.
Students also learned about the wide range of careers available within the construction industry and the many different specialist roles involved in delivering a major project of this scale.
Equipped with full PPE, the students then headed onto the live construction site itself — the first experience of a working construction environment for many of the group.
Working alongside Neil Drew and James Taggert from Castle’s specialist subcontractor, Labourn Construction, and supported by experienced bricklayers on site, students took part in a practical bricklaying activity designed to help them apply the techniques and knowledge they have developed during their studies.
The group were then given a guided tour of the development, visiting each floor of the new build while Castle project managers Max and Lee explained the various stages of the construction process and how the project is progressing.
Chris Meadowcroft, Operations Director at Castle, said:
It was a pleasure to host the students and to provide them with real-life experience on a project that will shape not only their futures but the tens of thousands of students that will attend the college for years to come. Many of our project team that hosted the students have studied and trained at colleges at the outset of their careers. They understand the need to encourage the next generation in the construction industry and, with this in mind, wanted to make the site visit a special day for them, ensuring it was as informative and interesting as possible. That was reflected in the questions asked by the students and their feedback after the event.”
Steve Turnbull, Deputy Head of Construction at TyneMet College, said:
This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to experience first-hand how a live construction site operates. Visits like this are incredibly valuable as they help learners connect the practical skills they develop in college with the reality of working in the construction industry. For many of our Level 1 students, this was their first time on a live site, so being able to work alongside experienced professionals and see the scale and complexity of a major construction project was both inspiring and educational.
The visit forms part of South Tyneside College and TyneMet College’s ongoing commitment to providing students with meaningful employer engagement opportunities and preparing them for successful careers within the construction sector.
The experience also highlights the strong collaboration across the wider Tyne Coast College group and the role the new South Tyneside College campus development is playing in inspiring the next generation of skilled construction professionals.
