A burgeoning partnership between Northampton College and construction and civil engineering specialists Winvic Construction Ltd is giving students the chance to gain an exclusive insight into what lies ahead in their future careers.
The well-respected main contractor, responsible for many of the huge infrastructure projects currently under way to support Northamptonshire’s thriving logistics sector, has seen its partnership with the award-winning college grow markedly in recent years.
Through its pioneering enrichment programme – launched two years ago with Northampton College – Winvic can provide students with up to five days of construction industry insights, giving them practical experience related to their studies and developing their soft skills. It also helps Winvic, its suppliers and clients to meet strategic social value goals, while it supports further education establishments to meet their enrichment activity targets. To date, Winvic has supported over 40 Northampton College students through the Enrichment Programme.
A typical programme includes a site tour, an overview of contractor, subcontractor and developer roles and health and safety awareness training, and teaches CV writing, interview and presentation techniques. Sites visited by Northampton College students include insights into both Industrial and Civils and Infrastructure sectors. Visits have been hosted at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton, Magna Park, Lutterworth and Prologis’ Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT).
In 2024, Northampton College launched the Design, Surveying and Planning T Level, which requires a 45-day, 315-hour industry placement to be completed as part of the course. Placements are a great way for employers to get involved and support their talent pipeline. Students normally undertake their placement one day a week, but will quite often complete extra hours during half term to spend a full week on site. This flexibility gives the students an opportunity to experience different elements and meet a variety of construction professionals.
Winvic is currently supporting 3 T Level students across two projects – Tritax Park, Kettering and Magna Park, Lutterworth. The students are gaining valuable experience within civil engineering and quantity surveying as well as gaining rounded exposure to the different elements within their course, gaining industry experience and seeing their learning in real-life scenarios.
Lola Carder, a 19-year-old T Level student who is working as a quantity surveyor, said: “I originally took A Levels but it wasn’t for me. I was working full time in a café before switching to T Levels and it’s been amazing, particularly the networking side of it and having access to so many industry professionals.
“Being able to visit actual sites has opened so many doors. It’s a crucial part of it because without having an idea of what’s going on outside on the site I can’t do my job as effectively on the inside.”
Kayleigh Merritt, Winvic’s Talent Development Manager, said: “Placements are a great way to provide young people with a step into the construction industry, learning from our staff and building solid foundational skills to set them up for success in the future. The Design, Surveying and Planning T Level appealed to us because we can help students to map future career pathways once passing their courses – such as moving on to a level 4 or degree apprenticeship.”
As part of its ongoing relationship with Northampton College, Winvic collaborated on a pre-construction session for T Level students as part of the course, giving the students an opportunity to present their tender to pre-construction professionals.
Winvic then followed this session by providing feedback and demonstrating how the company approaches a tender. Winvic has also supported with careers fairs, employer talks and Women In Construction events to showcase the sector and highlight the range of roles and pathways that can be taken.
Jason Lancaster, principal of Northampton College, said: “Giving our students access to companies such as Winvic is so important to us as it allows them the chance to see for themselves what life would be like working in their chosen sector.
“It also allows employers to cast their eye over the talent available locally and create a pipeline of potential recruits as they look to build their teams for years to come. We know businesses are facing severe challenges in areas such as recruitment and training so by partnering with their local college we can help employers implement strategies that are fit for the future.”
An employer forum for businesses working in the logistics sector will be held at Northampton College’s Daventry campus from 10.30am on Thursday, May 22. It will see experts explain the role of the National Apprenticeship Service and the benefits of investing in apprenticeships while providing advice and guidance on the financial incentives and ways to claim.
For more information about Northampton College, visit their website here.
