Taylor Wimpey has partnered with Oakwood Specialist College to provide its Dawlish Campus learners with a hands-on learning experience in construction.
Co-led by Taylor Wimpey’s Emma Hopkins, Exeter Apprentice Manager and Max Norman, Exeter Assistant Site Manager, the experience was designed to be inclusive, engaging, and meaningful, offering learners first-hand insights into the construction industry.
Passionate about attracting, developing and retaining a diverse range of talent, Taylor Wimpey advocates for culture, diversity and inclusion; where regardless of background, each person can thrive to meet their full potential and feel their differences are understood and valued.
Oakwood Specialist College, which forms part of Phoenix Learning & Care Group, aims to empower young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) by providing high-quality education and career opportunities to learners at each of its three campuses, located in Dawlish (Devon), Torpoint (Cornwall), and Yate (South Gloucestershire).
Emma, Max and the Taylor Wimpey Exeter team worked with learners to create two large brick planters around the outdoor seating area of the learner café at the college. To make the experience special, each brick used was engraved with the names of current learners, ensuring every participant had a personal connection to their work.
Throughout the experience, learners were given the opportunity to use bricks and mortar, handle construction tools, understand the principles of bricklaying, gain employment-related experience, and ask the Taylor Wimpey team questions.
Dan Miliffe, Head of Careers and Futures at Oakwood Specialist College, said: “This year, our partnership with Taylor Wimpey has been truly transformative and has given our Learners hands-on construction experience that ignites career aspirations and develops confidence.
“The impact was profound, Learners not only developed practical skills but also gained a newfound sense of pride and ownership in their contributions. By physically building something lasting within their college environment, Learners experienced the value of teamwork, perseverance, and skill-building in a real-world setting.
“We are incredibly proud of this collaboration and look forward to continuing our work with Taylor Wimpey and other industry partners to ensure that Oakwood Learners have access to exceptional career development opportunities.”
Taylor Wimpey works with schools, colleges and universities to promote a variety of careers in the construction industry as a means to inspire and educate students on the opportunities available to them.
Emma Hopkins, Apprentice Manager at Taylor Wimpey Exeter, said: “At Taylor Wimpey we aim to inspire and educate the next generation of industry workers. We value our partnerships with local schools and colleges as an opportunity to provide important experiences for the next generation studying or looking to study construction. We’ve really enjoyed our projects with Oakwood Specialist College throughout the 2024/25 academic year and look forward to carrying out other projects in the months ahead.”
Taylor Wimpey has career opportunities regardless of disability, age, sexual orientation, race, religion, belief or any other protected characteristic. For information on the career opportunities available, please visit, https://www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/jobs.
To find out more about Taylor Wimpey’s Brook Vale development, please visit, https://www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/new-homes/dawlish/brook-vale or call 01392 249950.
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