At Taylor and Fraser, we are always on the lookout for good talent. We appreciate that we are only as good as our people, which is why we invest in apprenticeships and personal development throughout the team. We also understand that we need to actively encourage young people into the industry and encourage them to explore engineering and construction as career paths.

We were delighted to support Jolene Young, Schools Delivery Manager for Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), to provide real-life insights to a group of 26 pupils from Elgin Academy and Forres Academy. The pupils joined us on the 14th of May at our Elgin Town Hall renovation project to visit a workplace environment during a major renovation. Jolene works with several schools in the Moray Region on their Insight into Apprenticeships offer in partnership with Engineering Development Trust (EDT).

EDT is a UK-wide educational charity that delivers and accredits 50,000+ experiences through the Industrial Cadets Awards each year. By connecting employers, young people, and educators, EDT provides inspiring opportunities for young people aged 9 to 21 to explore the exciting world of STEM.

The day began with a short presentation on Taylor and Fraser and the Elgin Town Hall project, focusing on the variety of roles involved in delivering the project. The pupils were also given a tour of the site, where various Taylor and Fraser team members shared their career paths and experiences since leaving school, right up to their current roles in the company, expanding on DYW’s excellent ‘No Wrong Path’ initiative. The visit concluded with a Q&A session, where the pupils had the opportunity to ask our team about their roles and the industry in general.

The Taylor and Fraser team were impressed by the level of engagement and the questions put to them, and it was particularly pleasing to hear from an enthusiastic female pupil keen to study Engineering with the ultimate goal of becoming an Astronaut. For those who are still unsure of their career paths, we hope it was a useful introduction to the wide variety of roles in Engineering and Construction.

Speaking about the insight day, Taylor and Fraser’s Construction Director, Angus MacInnes, said: “These days are just as important for us as they are for the pupils. We need to ensure we have a strong pipeline of talent entering the business, so providing on-site insights into what we do and the roles of our people is key to encouraging young people to explore careers in Engineering and Construction.

“We were delighted to welcome the pupils to Elgin Town Hall, which is a perfect project to highlight a variety of roles needed to undertake significant renovation projects. I hope the visit has stimulated some interest in what we do and the possibilities that exist within Taylor and Fraser and the sector.”