Primary pupils start small and dream big with Cornwall & West Devon’s regional apprenticeship manager

Cornwall and West Devon region were one of the businesses that attended a jobs day at a primary school in Launceston.

Persimmon Homes Cornwall & West Devon’s Regional Apprenticeships Manager, Andy Wallis, gave a talk to a class of children at Windmill Hill Academy as part of their ‘Start Small, Dream Big’ project.

The session was run to give the children an understanding of the materials that the housebuilder utilise on site, giving them an idea of the roles available in the sector.

The students got a chance to explore some of the materials, as Andy had brought samples in with me. The group then discussed some of the properties of the materials in more detail.

The session concluded with Andy gifting all of the children a copy of Persimmon’s ‘Cones and Building Homes’ book and which the class were going to read in the afternoon.

Commenting, Andy Wallis – Our Regional Apprenticeships Manager – said:

“I was delighted to represent Persimmon in this talk to the builders and planners of tomorrow at Windmill Hill – the children asked lots of questions and really enjoyed exploring the different types of materials and who would use them on a construction site.

“Being able to engage closely with local communities and educational institutions is a core part of my role as we seek to encourage future generations to enter a career in housebuilding, and demonstrates Persimmon’s commitment to leaving a positive and lasting legacy.”

Mrs Abby Bassett, Head of School at Windmill Hill Academy, added:

“We’d like to thank Andy for joining us and sharing his expertise – the talk went so well that we would love to have Persimmon visit us again next year.

“The children were fantastic during the talk and contributed their well-thought out ideas brilliantly throughout the morning, speaking about the importance of sustainable building and the different types of jobs that are associated with the construction sector.”