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Balfour Beatty host apprenticeship event at East Surrey College

During Apprenticeship Week, on Thursday 13 February, Balfour Beatty, an international infrastructure group hosted a day full of activities for East Surrey College Students that allowed them to get hands on experience as apprentices in construction.  

The daylong event had opportunities for students to fly drones, use VR headsets to drive diggers and even test their line painting skills. The activities hoped to demonstrate the practical hands-on roles an apprentice in construction can take across the sector. 

The drones were demonstrated by Balfour Beatty and allowed students to practice their flying skills with an obstacle course. Drones are now an integral part of construction sites up and down the country, allowing contractors to conduct site surveys, construction mapping & 3D modelling and real time progress monitoring.

WJ, a leading road markings and highway safety business were also at the event and had a line painting activity for students to simulate a road marking project. WJ are the largest Road Marking Contractor in the UK and provide an apprenticeship programme in the field for college leavers. 

Carey, Communication Manager at Balfour Beatty said “It’s great to leave a legacy, I’ve watched projects go from a hole in the ground to a massive leisure complex. 10 years later I got to take my daughter there to watch a film at the cinema. The work that we do in construction is there for years even decades.” 

Thank you to Balfour Beatty and all the apprenticeship providers who took the time to come and meet with our students. We had a fantastic day learning about the apprenticeship opportunities available in the construction industry. 

Click here to learn more about apprenticeship opportunities in construction.