Two students are completing essential work placement hours on a live highways maintenance contract in Warwickshire. Jake Ingram and Joe Marlin have recorded 90 hours over the summer as part of their T Level qualification in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction.
Placement on a multi-authority highways contract
Their placement is with Balfour Beatty Living Places, which maintains roads in Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry under contract to Warwickshire County Council. The students work alongside project management, commercial and operational teams as part of the maintenance programme.
The contract includes a range of activities. The students attend site visits and join health and safety and toolbox talks, short safety briefings given before tasks begin. They also observe commercial meetings involved in project planning and delivery.
NRSWA and social value in practice
These placements are part of the social value requirements Warwickshire County Council builds into contracts. Councillor Stephen Shaw said the council encourages contractors to deliver social value alongside service delivery, responding to residents’ calls for opportunities for young people.
“When we drew up the Council Plan, the most common message from residents was that they wanted us to create opportunities for young people,” he said.
Skills beyond the site
Alongside practical experience, the students also develop employability skills. These include communication, time management, presentation, writing CVs and job application techniques. The 90 hours completed over the summer form part of the 315 placement hours required over the two-year T Level course.
The placements continue until November and involve time with planning and business improvement teams at Balfour Beatty Living Places. This gives a broader insight into the systems behind highway maintenance delivery.
A foot in the construction sector door
Andy Whitmill, Contract Director at Balfour Beatty Living Places, said the positive impact on local people and communities was a key measure of success. Jake Ingram described the experience as invaluable, giving practical skills and a clearer idea of what a career in construction could look like.
Leamington Spa College, part of Warwickshire College Group, delivers the T Level programme equivalent to three A Levels. The qualification requires at least 315 hours of industry placement and aims to combine classroom learning with real-world experience.
