Design Engineer Construct Programme in Bristol

Thanks to a partnership between our Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC) project and the University of Bristol, last week saw a group of secondary school pupils embark on the city’s first ever Design Engineer Construct (DEC) Programme.

Earlier this year, Sir Robert McAlpine and the University of Bristol set out to find a school that could participate in the city’s first Design Engineer Construct (DEC) Programme. The accredited learning programme for secondary-school students aims to promote and inspire the next generation of professionals into the construction industry by giving them the qualifications they need to succeed. It has been pursued using Building Bristol (an initiative promoting employment and skills opportunities by Bristol City Council) in the hopes of building a lasting legacy in the city. 

The selection process saw seven local schools engage in learning about the programme, and after a considered decision-making process, IKB Academy was selected to be the first school to run the DEC programme in Bristol. The programme will be run through a partnership between Sir Robert McAlpine and the University of Bristol, with the aim of realising construction skills from a secondary school environment that promote further routes into construction. 

The move follows Sir Robert McAlpine’s commitment to delivering the University of Bristol’s flagship project, the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQA1), which will be home to 4,600 students and 460 university staff, alongside a raft of new educational facilities. With the project set to reshape the city, the Campus will also house a new Business School, Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre, and a Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Whilst there are schemes being run on the TQA1 site in conjunction with schools and colleges in the Bristol area, which offer work experience, apprenticeships, and graduate experiences to young students, the DEC programme is set to take it a step further. The DEC programme will provide students from 13-18+ the opportunity to increase their knowledge of professional practice in the digital built environment. This is delivered through a programme of study in year 10 and 11 to culminate in a DEC GCSE, and options thereafter in A or T levels that support access into the industry or higher education. 

The partnership with the University of Bristol also provides the opportunity for sessions to be delivered or supported by university staff, as well as helping build links with providers in the region who can support students with varied pathways into further and high education careers.

Our initial engagement with pupils occurred on Monday 30th September with the Year 10 and 12 pupils engaged in a whole day exercise that saw the evolution of a design for an Eco Classroom. SRM employees supported delivery with the school staff as well as some of the project’s consultant team (Landscape Architect – Grant Associates, and Architect - Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios). 

The day finished following presentations which were judged by our staff panel and saw a winner and runners up take away some prizes that celebrated their efforts and considered project work.