Our Construction students have had the opportunity to take their learning beyond the classroom, with 60 of our students taking part in a specialist masterclass delivered by industry experts from Arco.
The session gave our students the chance to learn more about personal protective equipment (PPE), risk assessments and the importance of health and safety in the workplace, while hearing directly from professionals who work with PPE and safety every day.
Delivered by Arco’s training team, the masterclass focused on the practical use of PPE, the legal responsibilities around providing and using equipment, and understanding why choosing and using the right protection is so important on site.
Connor Cannings, Working at Height and Confined Space Instructor at Arco, led the training and explained why PPE is such an important part of working safely in construction.
He said: “We trained the students on PPE awareness – the practical use of equipment, the legal responsibilities around PPE, and general awareness of where and how they should be using it, as well as understanding how strong and effective it is for them.
“PPE is a really important part of working safely in construction because it protects pretty much everybody in the workplace, as long as it’s used correctly.
“Hopefully, this will have given them a bit of an awareness and an expectation of what it’s like to enter the world of work and help them understand that using PPE is just a normal part of working safely.”
The session also gave our students the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with an industry expert, helping them build their understanding of the expectations they will face in the workplace.
One of the key messages Connor wanted our students to take away was that PPE should never be seen as something to overlook or simply another part of the job.
Connor added: “I think it’s more about awareness than anything. There’s a lot of stigma around PPE – that it’s not the cool thing to wear, or that you’re just given it and it doesn’t look attractive – but actually, it’s not about how it looks, it’s about the practicality.
“I’m hoping they take a more serious approach to it and understand why they’re being given PPE in the first place. It’s there for a reason, and it’s there to protect them.”
Working with employers such as Arco gives our students the opportunity to hear directly from industry, understand the realities of working on site and see how the things they learn at college apply in the workplace.
Connor said: “I think it’s important that students know what’s out there and what to expect from the people and businesses providing PPE and safety training.
“You don’t want people going into the workplace expecting to be fully trained on everything, but there’s additional training that supports that, and that’s where we come in, especially through our Professional Safety Services.
“It’s a great way for Arco and the college to work together and support the next generation of workers. We’re so closely partnered together and we’re only a stone’s throw away, so it makes sense to work together and give students the support they need for whatever career they go into.”
We’re proud to work with industry partners to create opportunities that help our students prepare for their future careers and understand what employers expect from the next generation of construction professionals.
A huge thank you to everyone at Arco for sharing their expertise and supporting our students.
