Beard backs 'Going 4 it'
– Unique Options Fair for Year 9 Students at The Cooper School, Bicester

Oxford, 18 February 2011: Members of Beard’s Construction team explain career opportunities with hands on demonstrations at The Cooper School’s unique Options Fair in Bicester. Pictured here is: Mark Cox, Beard’s Foreman and James Batty, Beard’s senior Site Manager with pupils from The Cooper School and Bicester Community College.

‘Going 4 It’ provides year 9 students from Bicester’s Secondary Schools with the opportunity to learn about different career opportunities and to try out different activities, helping them to make better career decisions and importantly choosing which GCSE options to go for.

Today’s Construction industry offers a huge range of opportunities from traditional crafts, modern construction skills, design, surveying and management offering students a whole range of choices. The Beard team, which is currently building the new Sixth Form science block at The Cooper School, took time out to give students some basic hands on experience of construction and electrical work, and answered questions about careers in construction, the qualifications required and the salaries that could be reached.

Commented Construction Director John Youle: “I think this is a great event for 13-14 year old students giving them a real hands-on opportunity to see some of the skills required in construction.   Developing the future skills for the industry is really important for us. We have an active apprenticeship programme at Beard and are always looking out for keen youngsters to start.”