20.09.09 Whelan helps enhance college knowledge

Whelan invited staff members from Newcastle College's construction courses to its Great Park site to help with their Continued Professional Development.

The five staff members, ranging from section manager to carpentry and joinery lecturer and instructors, were given a tour of the devlopment which will become home to 42 affordable flats and a care home.

While on site, the staff members also  increased their knowledge of advances in the construction industry by seeing first-hand the implementation of environmentally-friendly eco joists.

Whelan's Great Park site is the largest in the region to utilise the eco joists and has provided the college's staff with a unique insight into the applciation and benefit of the system.

Bob Warren, construction director at Whelan, was on hand to show them around, and encouraged Whelan staff on site to talk with the staff from the college.

Bob commented: "As a company we think it is extremely important to be involved as a location for site visits. It's extremely important the students get the chance to go on site visits, but we were only too keen to invite staff members on site on this occasion. We appreciate that it is important that they are always one step ahead when it comes to knowledge of advances in the industry.

"They all got a great insight into the company and how we operate while working on a contract; they also saw two of their own student apprentices at work on our site. We are keen to invite them back, along with their students, at a later stage in the contract to see the developments."

Ian Gaskill, operations manager at Newcastle College added: "The college places huge importance on development and continuous learning for both our staff and students. It  is vital for us to be able to keep  up to date with new technologies and working practices and this visit certainly helped to give our staff an insight into this progression.