Six apprentices at mechanical, electrical and public health (MEP) service provider, G&H, have delivered a complete MEP design and install for a new post-16 facility in Wortley, which will provide construction training for young people aged 16-19 disengaged from education and at risk of becoming Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).
Working on behalf of vocational training provider, Building Futures Together (BFT), design apprentice Zac Russell, projects manager apprentice Tom Noble, electrical apprentices Dan Brook and Ellis Parker, mechanical apprentices Jake Sherburn and Cory Taylor took responsibility for the design, project management and installation of the workshop’s MEP services, putting the skills they have developed through their G&H apprenticeships into practice on a live project.
BFT will welcome its first cohort to the new centre in September, providing practical training in electrical and plumbing skills, alongside an introduction to health and safety in construction and site preparation.
Learners will undertake practical tasks including installing lighting circuits and sockets, removing and refitting radiators, and bending, joining and connecting copper pipes. On completion, they will be able to achieve the City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Construction and/or Level 1 Diploma in Construction Skills.
The facility is designed to provide an alternative pathway into education, training and employment for young people who have become disengaged from education or are at risk of becoming NEET.
Tom Noble, first-year projects apprentice at G&H said: “Being involved in this project has been incredible. I only started my apprenticeship in July and the initial weeks and months usually involve a great deal of observing and learning from others and gradually taking on more responsibility. To have the opportunity to step up and be hands-on undertaking and preparing the risk assessments and method statement, reviewing health and safety requirements and setting up the site safety board, ordering materials and coordinating the work, has been a fantastic experience.
“I learnt so much throughout the project and my mentors really did let me get on with it. Yes, I made some mistakes, but I had the support around me to learn from them and understand how I could approach things differently next time.”
Paul Churchill, development manager at G&H, said: “An integral part of our apprenticeships is gaining hands-on experience on live sites, with apprentices working closely with a qualified and experienced mentor. Although I have been on hand to oversee the six-strong team of apprentices undertake this unique project, they have truly owned it and worked collaboratively to deliver it.
“They have drawn on the experience they have gained during their apprenticeships and applied it effectively to deliver a new facility for BFT that will benefit the next generation of construction workers. I’m incredibly proud of them.”
Established in 1998, G&H designs, delivers and maintains mechanical, electrical and public health engineering solutions for clients across the UK. Headquartered in Leeds, the company provides end-to-end MEP services from design and installation through to long-term maintenance.
BFT, which started in 2020 to help prevent young people from becoming NEET and provide hands-on construction experience, operates from a purpose-built training facility in Pudsey. The facility includes eight bays providing 24 individual training spaces, a project room, and a classroom to support the delivery of entry-level and Level 1 qualifications in mechanical, electrical, and plumbing services to young people aged 11-16.
