Bryn y Deryn & Can y Deryn Visit
A group of Year 10 students from the Bryn y Deryn & Can y Deryn PRU (Pupil Referral Unit) Schools were invited for a site tour for Sacyr UK’s New Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC), with aims to inform and inspire their future.
A study done by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the People’s Partnership, which looked at a group of 1,000 adults working in construction, found that about one in four workers identify as neurodiverse. The most common condition was ADHD, followed by Autism and Dyslexia.
Sacyr’s Community Benefits Coordinator Joanne O’Keefe organised a STEM educational session with the students, explaining the scope of the project and its sustainable design, showing the progress timeline’s current development, also covering the variety of jobs that happen on a site- and the different career paths available.
Along with Jo was Draftsman Jamie Arthur, who gave students an insider view to what happens on a site, showing how the plans for the centre are brought into reality. Both joined by Health and Safety Adviser Josh Kincaid, who gave a brief talk guiding students through the proper safety precautions and conduct for the site. Informing them, but also educating them on the dangers of improper conduct.
Having donned their hi-vis visitor vests, students headed out and were taken on a partial walking tour around the 60,000 square meter safety perimeter of the site, giving them a chance to see the work in practice for themselves.
Civil Engineer Jake Doran Hughes gave insight into the variety of job opportunities available on site, helping to inspire the students, visualise the work, and breaking down some of the technical elements of a day in the life on site at the nVCC.
To end the site tour, students were given Telehandler demonstration by operator Gregg Cuthbert, before being given a chance to take turns sitting in the driver seat, planting potential seeds for their future.
The tour was ended with a spot of lunch provided by Sacyr, the group gathered for a photograph to cap off the session. Leaving the site feeling inspired, one of the students was overheard leaving a voice note to a friend who had not been able to attend, stating that they “Had to come to the next one".
