Championing construction at the Enfield Careers and Innovation Fair

Students and local residents learned about training pathways and roles in construction at Enfield’s Careers and Innovation Fair.

Earlier this month, Capital City College’s (CCC) Enfield campus welcomed students and local residents to its first Careers and Innovation Fair. The event brought together employers, training providers and community organisations to showcase opportunities in construction, green skills and wider employability routes. The event also enabled students on construction courses engage in discussions on the future of the sector.

The event started with a talk from Samuel Asiamah, founder of Altar Construction and Altar Create CIC. Samuel’s work focuses on workforce development, improvising inclusion and opening pathways for underrepresented groups in the building industry. Drawing on his extensive experience, Samuel spoke about the current skills gap, the importance of self awareness and vision, and how learners can take practical steps to prepare for long term success in a changing sector.

Philippa Cooke, Careers, Employability and Enterprise Manager, said “After Samuel’s talk, our Construction students began discussing the skills gap in the sector, particularly the gap between the abilities employers need and the skills that many workers currently hold. It was encouraging to see them connect the talk so directly to their own future pathways.”

Following Samuel’s talk, students and visitors explored the employer exhibition, where they had the chance to speak with organisations offering apprenticeships, entry level work, volunteering routes and progression opportunities. Exhibitors included a number of key organisations and industry leaders such as the Canal and River Trust, Net Zero, Wild London, McConnell, Tilbury Douglas, National Grid and Falcon Green. Also at the event were college stands relating to Apprenticeships+ and CCC’s Skills Academies such as the Enfield Construction Skills Academy.

While at the exhibition, current and prospective students were able to talk to employers and learn about the various routes into construction. For many current students, there was an opportunity to relate their studies to existing roles and find out more about the breadth of roles available. They were also able to discuss further training and explore career sustainability with those who have first-hand knowledge of the industry.

Sarah Czapp, Careers and Employability Adviser at CCC’s Enfield campus, said “This was a valuable opportunity for students to link their curriculum learning to careers. They were also able to find out some key labour market information such as rates of pay and skills gaps to help them make informed decisions as they navigate their future.”

If you’re looking to explore a career in construction, take a look at our construction and plumbing courses.

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