Twenty-four construction students took a tour of an active construction site for the first time recently in Darnley.

The students, who are studying for a National Progression Award at Glasgow Kelvin College, visited the Persimmon Homes development to get a taste of the practical side of working in construction.

There, the youngsters were able to learn more about the variety of trades involved in the delivery of new homes and how they come together to create new communities.

Persimmon West Scotland construction manager, Laurence Watson, and regional construction director, Alan Prickett, gave the students a tour of the site and explained how the process of building a new home and creating a new community works.

The experienced construction specialists inspired the students with their own stories from their time on the tools, to progressing through the business and managing multiple sites across the West of Scotland.

The Sycamore Park development in Darnley began in 2015 and has delivered more than 500 high-quality, energy-efficient new homes. The site is situated to the south of Glasgow, with easy access to the city centre via the M77. 

Ronnie Muir, senior lecturer at Glasgow Kelvin College, said: "By inviting our students and staff to visit their site at Darnley, Persimmon has provided an extraordinary opportunity for our learners to experience what it would be like to work on a top-class building site. 

“We were all blown away with the time and effort that was put into making the visit so informative and interesting for those students with an ambition to work in the industry. 

“Students were also introduced to the social impact of the build and left with a greater understanding of the link between high-quality house construction and the creation of solid communities.”

Alan Prickett, Persimmon regional construction director, added: “We were delighted to welcome the next generation of construction professionals to our Sycamore Park development.

“This is a great industry to work in and there’s a variety of exciting opportunities available for young people who want to forge a career in construction. I’m sure the students left with a better understanding of the industry and I hope to see some of them working with Persimmon in the future.”