ESME member Dale Lyon, Director of Concrete Scotland was awarded the Innovation in Training Award 2017 at last evenings Scottish Training Federation annual awards for their Octavian Concrete Program. Octavian Concrete was an 8 Week Program which was delivered on behalf of West Lothian Council for 12 pupils who had become disengaged with the education process.
The course was a mixture of traditional teaching, experiential learning and site visits. The program exposed the young adults to real world opportunities within the world of work relating to the construction industry whilst contextualising their learning through practical application of their new found skills in live projects.
Working with a Hedda Bjordal of ESALA the students delivered a self standing three dimensional structure from a two dimensional drawing over the final two weeks where the students had to manufacture the formwork, assemble the form work and then mix and cast the concrete into these moulds before removing the formwork and assembling the concrete structure.
The students were required to complete their own method statements and risk assess their planned activities prior to any work being undertaken. The other activities the the students undertook were:
- Basic Concrete Technology and Materials handling
- Concrete in the Classroom program
- Basic Surveying
- Formwork – visit to Peri Ltd
- Concrete Testing – visit to Aggregate Industries
- Working on the Railway – ESME, installed 20m of miniature gauge rail track
A massive thanks for your assistance in making this program such a success for the pupils involved.
