Desco welcomes two new PlanBEE Students Lana Whittaker and Luke Oldfield
Nineteen-year-old Architecture Engineering and Construction student Lana Whittaker has joined Desco for her fourth placement under the PlanBEE higher apprenticeship programme. On the same day Desco also welcomed Luke Oldfield a nineteen-year-old Architecture, Engineering and Construction student for his fourth placement under the PlanBEE higher apprenticeship programme.
Nineteen-year-old Architecture Engineering and Construction student Lana Whittaker has joined Desco for her fourth placement under the PlanBEE higher apprenticeship programme.
Lana will be spending four months at our Head Office, in Sunderland, following previous placements at Ryder Architecture, Faulkner Browns and Castle Building Services. Lana starts her placement in our building physics department working with the team producing energy strategy reports, she will then spend 4 weeks in the mechanical team, followed by 4 weeks with the electrical team and finalising her time here with the BIM/CAD technicians.
Lana explained “It’s a great way to try out the different industries before you commit to following a degree course in that field, I am looking forward to learning more about building services engineering and the important role it plays in the design process, I am particularly looking forward to my time with the building physics team as this is something I knew very little about before I started”.
On the same day Desco also welcomed Luke Oldfield a nineteen-year-old Architecture, Engineering and Construction student for his fourth placement under the PlanBEE higher apprenticeship programme.
Luke will also spend four months at our head office in Sunderland, following previous placements at Ryder Architecture, Sir Robert McAlpine and Xsite Architecture. Luke has started his placement with the BIM/CAD technicians spending time getting to grips with REVIT software from the building services perspective, he will then spend 4 weeks in the mechanical team, 4 weeks in the electrical team and 4 weeks in the building physics department.
Luke added “ At the end of my A levels I knew I didn’t want to go straight into University, I knew a work based learning course was what I was looking for, when the PlanBEE opportunity came around I knew I wouldn’t get this type of experience anywhere else, I am looking forward to my time at Desco, getting a better understanding of M&E and to hopefully find out if this is the job for me”.
PlanBEE is the bespoke higher apprenticeship programme, backed by Desco, PlanBEE was set up in partnership with Gateshead College and a host of North East-based built environment businesses, to provide students with a fast track to graduation, a professional qualification and a guaranteed job opportunity upon successful completion.
PlanBEE’s blended learning approach, involves an organised programme of theoretical study in architectural engineering and management, complemented by practical training through work placements with several companies; this enables students to have a taste of a range of design and construction disciplines throughout their course.
To find out more about this training programme, please visit: www.joinplanbee.com
Lana explained “It’s a great way to try out the different industries before you commit to following a degree course in that field, I am looking forward to learning more about building services engineering and the important role it plays in the design process, I am particularly looking forward to my time with the building physics team as this is something I knew very little about before I started”. Luke added “ At the end of my A levels I knew I didn’t want to go straight into University, I knew a work based learning course was what I was looking for, when the PlanBEE opportunity came around I knew I wouldn’t get this type of experience anywhere else, I am looking forward to my time at Desco, getting a better understanding of M&E and to hopefully find out if this is the job for me”.