Chichester College and Kier forge stronger industry connections through 'Skills Swap Day'

Kier, a leading provider of infrastructure services, construction and property developments, visited Chichester College for a ‘Skills Swap Day’ with construction students recently.

Kier designed the day to allow students to swap their skills and insights with
experienced members of the Kier team, bridging the gap between classroom learning
and real-world industry experience.

Martin Perry, operations manager with Kier Construction Southern, began the day by
giving students an overview of the industry, the company, and examples of some of
Kier’s iconic projects. He went beyond simply sharing what Kier do and got into the
detail of how the team do their roles. He shared details such as specific applications
and tools they use to bring the reality of the construction industry to life.

Students then split into their respective courses, showcasing their knowledge and skills
in plumbing, electrical, and bricklaying. The team from Kier got hands-on in the
workshop, giving students the opportunity to step into the supervisor role.

In the afternoon, students split into small groups to have a sit-down chat with different
people from Kier, allowing them to network and build connections.

Liza Smith, social value manager with Kier Construction Southern, said:
“We have a fantastic record in Kier of developing our people. Take Martin, our
operations manager, he started his training as a bricklaying apprentice at Chichester
College and he learnt and earnt at the same time working for us. He has developed his
career even further, as a chartered builder, and is now helping us to deliver vital
projects for communities across the South East.

“Skill swap days help us to inspire the next generation of talent of the vast breadth of
opportunities we have within our industry, and Kier, and the pride and passion we have
in continual learning at whatever stage of your career.”

The event forms the start of a wider partnership between Chichester College and Kier.
Tracy Fisher, Head of Learning for Construction & Sustainable Technologies at
Chichester College, added:

“The swap day has been a real success, the learners got to work with directors from Kier
in a variety of job roles, which has given them insight into the different job roles
available in construction.

“We are working closely with Kier to ensure the curriculum meets the needs of industry
and how we can work together to further develop the courses and close the skills gaps
in industry.”