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UEL students build on construction skills with help from local businesses

Thursday 3 June 2010

Engineering Students

48 Engineering and Construction Management students from the University of East London have been recognised for outstanding achievement at the six-day Constructionarium bridge-building challenge.

Sponsored by Mitchellson Formwork and Civil Engineering and consultancy Atkins, the event offered students a realistic construction challenge to help prepare them for the workplace. 48 students took part in two bridge-building projects – one based on the slender Kingsgate Bridge in Durham and the other based on the cable-stayed Brewer’s Wharf Bridge in Liverpool.

The challenge began with a planning meeting on Sunday evening followed by regular 8am starts on site with students undertaking all the activities ranging  from risk assessment, setting out the works, carrying out formwork construction, placing the concrete, and  fixing the steel right down to cleaning the canteen area. Attendees were given specialist on the job training in all aspects of the project, including the correct use of power tools such as grinders and disc cutters.  Highly skilled supervisors from Mitchellson were on hand throughout the challenge to mentor and aid the students progress.

Final year student Belal Miah said: “it was thebest week of my Degree and an excellent opportunity to for students to experience working on a real construction site; just being there helps you get a better perspective on your future career.”

John Wakeling, Michellson Project Manager said: “throughout the week students were able to put theory into practice. With guidance the ideas for building the projects came from their heads and the skills from their own hands. By the second day natural leaders had began to develop and motivate other team members.”

The student’s efforts were well rewarded when both groups successfully kept to their programmes and topped out their projects on Friday morning as planned. They were then presented with certificates of recognition at a ceremony held this week at the UEL Docklands Campus.

Engineering lecturer Ian Lemon said: “A big thank you is due to Mitchellson and Atkins our sponsors. Without their dedication and commitment in supporting students the results would not have been possible”.

If you’re interested in studying Civil Engineering or Construction Management, visit the UEL website for more information.

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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