Learners studying their Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQ) in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Design and Build and Site Supervisors, recently attended a site visit to a new student accommodation block being built in Bristol.
HTQ’s are level 4 and level 5 qualifications which take place between completing A Levels or T levels and starting a degree. They are job-focused qualifications which are designed with employers and can help you apply for higher paid job roles.
The £39M project, which is being developed by Watkins Jones Plc, is a purpose-built student accommodation consisting of 260 bedrooms and supporting facilities for students at Bristol University, as part of the Bristol Temple Quarter urban regeneration project.
The learners were given a brief overview of the company by on-site Project Manager, Sean Pollard, followed by some key details of the site. These included 18m deep piles and how materials had to be sourced within a 50-mile radius to meet the environmental credentials set by the local planners.
Learners asked Sean probing questions about the challenges that the company had faced to get to the current stage of the project.
Sean then ensured that all the learners were kitted out in the appropriate PPE and gave them a detailed site tour.
This showed the major elements of the project, including the concrete frame and the design of the central courtyard. Each room was going to be provided with a pre-fabricated “Bathroom Pod” which the learners had the opportunity to open and inspect, whilst on site.
A big thanks goes to Sean and his team from Watkin Jones for kindly letting us visit the site.
If you are interested in starting a HTQ at UCW, visit our page to find a list of available courses: https://www.ucw.ac.uk/htq/.
