NISCA Autumn Conference 2024
Construction Futures, together with Trinity College Dublin, had the pleasure of sponsoring this year’s NISCA Autumn Conference, on 21st November 2024.
[Pictured L-R: Construction Futures’ Education Engagement Co-ordinator, Jenni Marshall and Head of Strategic Development, Fionnuala McKenna.]
The event, held at the La Mon Hotel, welcomed careers teachers from schools and further education colleges across NI for a day of informative talks, workshops, panel discussions and exhibition stands.
The conference kicked off with opening remarks from the Department of Education, followed by an array of engaging sessions. Dr. Emma Stokes, Vice President for Global Engagement at Trinity College Dublin followed by Professor Peter Robertson from Edinburgh Napier University.
Sentinus delivered a dynamic workshop that harnessed the power of Lego to engage attendees in creative problem-solving. This was followed by Construction Futures' Fionnuala McKenna taking to the stage to inform the audience about the complexities and structure of the construction industry—insights that are often taken for granted within the industry but are vital for the education sector to understand. She also emphasised the importance of collaboration between the industry and schools to provide clear guidance, resources, and inspiration for students to explore rewarding careers in the construction and built environment sector, highlighting the diverse opportunities and pathways available.
Attracta Mathews from GRAHAM Group further reinforced the message of the construction sector’s potential by highlighting the wide variety of early career opportunities available within employer companies.
A standout moment of the day was the inspiring stories shared by apprentices, who spoke about their unique career journeys from their school years to the present. These personal accounts illustrated that success does not always follow a traditional path, emphasising the importance of providing more apprenticeship opportunities.
[Some of the apprentices from the industry who joined us on the day to share their stories]
Their stories highlighted the vital role that both Apprenticeships and Higher-Level Apprenticeships play for students who thrive in practical learning environments. Thanks to Katie Maxwell, Ella Halpenny, Áine McCaffrey, Finn Walsh, and Luke Emery for sharing their stories!
The theme of skills and apprenticeships continued with a thought-provoking Q&A session led by David Porter, Director of Engineering at the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) with their Civil Engineering apprentice, Ben Savoury.
Our industry colleagues, CITBNI, Women’sTec, and CIOB, were also in attendance on the day, supporting the message about the wide range of opportunities available within the construction industry.
[Construction Futures’ Head of Strategic Development, Fionnuala McKenna.]
Throughout the day, conversations with careers teachers revealed a clear emerging theme: the need for more accessible and detailed information about the various roles within the construction industry, the pathways and programmes to these careers, and the long-term opportunities they offer. Teachers emphasised the importance of having all this information centralised in one place, specifically tailored for the Northern Ireland Construction Industry.
There is a growing interest among the next generation in pursuing careers within construction. Now, it’s crucial to equip them with the knowledge and guidance they need to succeed in this vital industry in Northern Ireland.
