Houghton Regis housebuilder offers hands on experience for students

Choosing a course and filling in application forms for university can be a daunting process for many A-level students who have limited experience in their preferred field of work.

This was the case for Nana Koranteng, a Sixth Form student at St George’s School in Harpenden, until she was given the opportunity to take part in a two-day work experience placement with local housebuilder Barratt David Wilson Homes.

With her university applications due to be completed this year, Nana wanted to improve her chances of securing her place on a course by showcasing that she had hands-on experience. It was then she discovered Barratt David Wilson North Thames’ work experience programme at its Linmere development in Houghton Regis.

Before she started, Nana wasn’t sure what a career in property could involve, and she didn’t expect that in just two days she would be able to experience so many aspects of the industry. During her time with Barratt David Wilson North Thames, she took part in sales and marketing meetings, learnt about land acquisition and developed a further understanding of the construction process, giving her a full scope of the range of careers available in the property industry.

Nana Koranteng comments: “When first accepting the work experience placement, all I knew of the property industry was real estate. The two days I’ve spent working at Linmere with Barratt David Wilson North Thames have opened my eyes to the multitude of career opportunities across the sector, which I’d never previously considered. There are so many existing avenues to explore! Unlike with some of my previous work experience placements, the team were extremely welcoming and encouraged me to get involved by asking questions and sharing my opinion.”

Marc Woolfe, Head of Sales at Barratt David Wilson North Thames, added: “We have a number of work experience opportunities and apprenticeship schemes available at Barratt David Wilson North Thames to offer first-hand support to school-leavers. All of our learning schemes offer coaching and mentoring, allowing participants to get involved in real-life training, and gain a hands-on experience of the industry – whether they are with us for a few days or even weeks. We are happy that Nana enjoyed her time with us, and is considering a career in property as a result.”

Barratt David Wilson North Thames offers a number of apprenticeship and graduate opportunities for young people looking to enter the construction industry, alongside a dedicated degree program for site managers. Apprenticeship schemes can offer an alternative to full-time university study, alternatively Barratt David Wilson Homes has a number of Trade Programmes, which will allow students to split time between on-site work and university.

Barratt David Wilson North Thames is currently building homes at its Linmere development in Houghton Regis. Currently available at Linmere is a selection of one and two-bedroom apartments, as well as two, three and four-bedroom homes with prices starting from £210,000 for a one-bedroom apartment.

For further details about Barratt David Wilson North Thames or the new homes at Linmere visit www.barratthomes.co.uk / www.dwh.co.uk or call 0333 3558 500 / 0333 3558 501.