UK Government Property Function engages DEC Students in future workplace design
When the UK Government Property Function (GPF) asked Class Of Your Own to help raise awareness of the career opportunities to procure, design, engineer, operate and maintain its 140,000+ properties across the country, we jumped at the chance.
Very few children and young people are aware that the government has its own architects, engineers, surveyors and many more professionals, all responsible for buildings, such as offices, schools, hospitals and prisons.
In fact, when we asked the question, “What job could you do working for the government?”, most suggested, “Prime Minister”!
We know there are some exceptional future leaders of construction coming through DEC schools (and perhaps a few country leaders too), so we wanted to know what their office would be like, if they were to design, engineer and construct it.
We invited the Design Engineer Construct! (DEC) students of Alder Grange School in Rawtenstall, Lancashire to take part in an exclusive week of work experience programme with the some of the GPF’s key professionals to explore the future of net zero office design.
Learning from the experts
Throughout the programme, students worked directly with architects, fire engineers, sustainability consultants, facilities managers, health and safety consultants and quantity surveyors, researching design principles, problem-solving and developing ideas for inclusive workplaces that minimise energy use and meet the needs of future generations.
Architect and Ministry of Justice volunteer, Simon Bode, summed up the experience:
“I was fortunate to be invited to join the DEC pilot event, working directly with the students at Alder Grange in Rossendale. The opportunity to visit the school, meet the staff involved, and spend a whole day with the student groups discussing their projects in detail was a real privilege.
To witness them challenging the brief, problem-solving, and then to see the progress made during the day was not only impressive, but also a strong validation of the programme that Class Of Your Own have created.”
Simon Bode ~ Architect, Ministry of Justice
Inspiring the next generation
Over the course of the week, students gained first-hand insight into working life at the GPF, making connections with professionals who could one day become their future colleagues.
This was so much more than work experience – it was an opportunity to shape real career ambitions.
With the pilot programme complete successfully, we’ve opened the programme up to all DEC schools, helping young people turn classroom learning into career pathways.
A huge thank you to everyone at GPF who supported this extraordinary programme – your expertise continues to make a lasting impact on our students.
