News

Opportunity Knocked for us!

03/10/2013

Yesterday the 2^nd October saw the 2^nd annual ‘Opportunity Thurrock’ event held this time at ‘The Backstage Centre’ High House Production Park, Purfleet. The event is a career’s fair open to every secondary school within Thurrock. Students ranging from years 10 & 11 to 6^th formers attended to meet with and get advice from business owners, operators and further education providers. With a common goal in mind, a great atmosphere was created by the exhibitors and the majority of people there commented on how easy they found it to engage with, and have meaningful conversations with the young people.

‘The Backstage Centre’ wonderfully helpful staff aided by their students of ‘South Essex College’ and the most recent crop of ‘World Host’ trained students from Studio School, South Ockendon, helped provide a great venue for the occasion, and they should all be very proud of themselves.

We ourselves were given an opportunity and a challenge? With but a week to spare we were informed that a ‘Skills Lorry’ out of action for many months but ready and waiting for anyone willing to offer little TLC, was available for us to present from. Despite a list of various small problems during the build-up, we were very proud to provide all the children who went to the show a small glimpse of the sort of work carried out on some of our sites, and offer them as much thoughtful and professional advice as we could give in the time allowed to over 3000 visitors in 2, three hour slots!

It was not without some help, and we would like to thank; Howden Joinery of West Thurrock, Thurrock Hardwoods of Grays, Thurrock Supplies of Tilbury, and F P Cotter Electrical of Grays for your material contributions. And of course; Phil Finch Electrical, and Amy Farr of ‘Peardon Health & Safety’ my co-hosts during the day, without whom I would have even more aching legs and a more sore throat from all the talking. All of your efforts were much appreciated by us and the people of opportunity Thurrock.

With little exception the students we met on the day were easy to talk to and willing to engage where appropriate to their future careers in thoughtful discussion and networking, accepting advice with good grace.

We had 3 mini competitions running during the day and can reveal the winners as:

Jade Armstrong of Grays Convent High school. For guessing the quantity of fixings in our new sign. (797 differing screws and nails)

Aaron Stevens of St Cleres. For guessing the most correct tools on display, (including a fair description of a ‘Floor board Cramp’ the trickiest item there.)

Shardene Gregory also of Grays Convent High School. For guessing nearest to the number of different construction trades we deal with on a monthly basis. (We had it at 61 for an average month)

Well done to one and all.

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