Ashleigh Building Construction Partnership Project 2024

“Over the last 8 years Ashleigh Building have hosted pupils from Belmont Academy as part of our Annual Construction Partnership Project (CPP). This partnership involving Ashleigh Building, Ayrshire College, LMA Architects, and DYW Ayrshire was established following a meeting at Belmont Academy where David Smith, Managing Director of Ashleigh, recognised the need to develop relationships with local schools and colleges to create more opportunities for students within the construction sector and enhance their employability skills. The main goal of the Construction Partnership Project is to enhance students’ understanding of both trade and professional roles within the industry.  

Ayrshire College is responsible for teaching the trade-related aspects of the project, including Joinery, Taping, and Bricklaying, while Ashleigh focuses on specialised roles like Architecture working with LMA Architects, Surveying, and Planning. Through this joint effort, students gain a thorough understanding of the wide range of roles present in the construction sector. The main focus of the 7-week programme is for 3 teams, each comprising 4 students, to engage in a combination of classroom learning and hands-on college experience. Their primary objective is to plan and develop their own housing development based on dimensions provided to them, incorporating various house types. An essential part of the programme includes a visit to one of our operational construction sites, providing students with an exclusive insight into the workings of the construction industry. During the visit, students have the opportunity to learn about different professional roles and ask questions to our on-site team about the project being delivered. Throughout this project, the students receive guidance from personnel at Ashleigh, LMA Architects and Ayrshire College. 

At the end of the 7 weeks, each group is invited back to the Ashleigh Boardroom to present their final proposals on their housing development project to a panel of judges. They will discuss their planning methods, costings, and the layout of the housing development. This year’s contestants included the Burj Khalifa, The Colosseum, and The Big Bathtub, with the Burj Khalifa emerging as the winning design.” 

Nikki Kean, Office Manager 

Iain Forbes – Ashleigh Financial Director “The Belmont Project is a fantastic example of how partnerships can help our future generations gain experience in the construction industry. As a Director of the Ayrshire Chamber and the Financial Director at Ashleigh, I see the benefits it brings from both perspectives. I look forward to its continued success in the future.”