New Year, new intake of PlanBEE Students for programme sponsors Desco
Emmie Hudson and James Robinson are the latest students to join Desco for their four month placements.
Emmie Hudson and James Robinson are the latest PlanBEE students to join Desco through the award-winning education programme, which allows aspiring young professionals to earn whilst learning, through day-release studies and work placements, at a host of leading North East-based design and construction companies.
The PlanBEE higher apprenticeship scheme is an industry wide partnership of companies who want people with a new and broader set of skills in their businesses. The scheme provides students with a regular salary, HNC/HND qualification and a guaranteed job opportunity on graduation. The bespoke programme’s on and off-the-job training combines lessons at Gateshead College, one day each week, with a series of work placements.
Commenting on her fifth placement through the scheme Emmie said “This is my fifth placement on the PlanBEE programme, I have spent time at Castle Building Services, Ryder Architecture, BIM Academy and Sir Robert McAlpine. At the end of my placement at Desco in April, it’s time for me to decide what career path I am going to take, which is an exciting prospect for me. Throughout my placements so far, I have enjoyed the time I have spent working in BIM the most.
In terms of my forthcoming months with Desco, I am looking forward to seeing how the M&E design is progressed, having spent time with an M&E Contractor I have experience of working with M&E designs but really getting to grips with the design and the systems used here will give me the opportunity to make my career choice having had a well rounded experience in all of the disciplines.”
James, now on his second placement through the programme added “I am fairly new to the programme having only completed one other placement at the end of last year, I spent four months with Ryder Architecture. I feel like Architecture was a good place for me to start, it has given me an insight to the overarching concept of the design world.
I am now looking forward to gaining an understanding of mechanical, electrical and building physics design from the team here at Desco, gaining as much knowledge and transferable skills from the team that will help me progress through the remainder of the course. “
Desco’s PlanBEE Mentor and Senior Electrical Engineer, Ryan Tough, commenting on Desco’s intake said; “I would like to give a warm welcome to both Emmie and James who have just joined us for their four-month placement. I really enjoy mentoring our PlanBEE Students throughout their time at Desco, they bring with them an enthusiasm and are always eager to learn about what we do.
I act as the student’s main point of contact throughout their time spent with us, ensure a smooth transition for them between departments and generally make sure they are looked after. The progression the students make in four months is phenomenal, its encouraging for us how many students leave us with such a high interest in pursuing M&E as a chosen career path.
Schemes like PlanBEE are so important to our industry as there are real jobs available at the end of the course, an example of which is that we took on two engineers last year who have completed the PlanBEE course and had placements at Desco. ”
Emmie and James will each spend four months at Desco’s head office at Doxford Business Park in Sunderland, which has already hosted nine other students through the programme to date.
Desco’s PlanBEE Mentor and Senior Electrical Engineer, Ryan Tough, commenting on Desco’s intake said; “I would like to give a warm welcome to both Emmie and James who have just joined us for their four-month placement. I really enjoy mentoring our PlanBEE Students throughout their time at Desco, they bring with them an enthusiasm and are always eager to learn about what we do.
I act as the student’s main point of contact throughout their time spent with us, ensure a smooth transition for them between departments and generally make sure they are looked after. The progression the students make in four months is phenomenal, its encouraging for us how many students leave us with such a high interest in pursuing M&E as a chosen career path.
Schemes like PlanBEE are so important to our industry as there are real jobs available at the end of the course, an example of which is that we took on two engineers last year who have completed the PlanBEE course and had placements at Desco. ”