An innovative education programme in Winchburgh, which engages secondary school pupils in the development of their community, has received a boost from a major housebuilder. Over 150 first-year pupils at Winchburgh Academy have taken part in Developing Winchburgh over the past three years, with many shaping their career goals based on experiences with professionals involved in creating a town set to house 14,000 people within a decade.
Lovell Joins the Programme
This year, Lovell, the housebuilder constructing a 176-home mixed-tenure development in the town centre, has dedicated six staff members to the programme. Sixty first-year pupils will, over six weeks, gain insights into placemaking and the jobs required to deliver a vast masterplan. Masterclasses, workshops, and site visits will be led by planning consultants, media specialists, architects, engineers, lawyers, landscape architects, ecologists, and masterplanners Winchburgh Developments Ltd.
Programme Goals and Impact
Penny Lochhead of Winchburgh Developments said: “This partnership programme’s primary goal is to motivate the upcoming talent in Winchburgh by introducing them to various career paths. They can witness these opportunities first-hand within their own community as it undergoes significant development.” She added that Lovell has committed to a three-year involvement, offering site visits to their development for first-hand knowledge of housing development roles.
Lovell’s quantity surveyor Abigale Kyle will lead hands-on sessions for third and fourth-year girls at Winchburgh Academy and Sinclair Academy. Tony Rankin, Regional Managing Director of Lovell in Scotland, stated: “Winchburgh is a remarkable place to be building right now, and being part of a community as it grows from the ground up brings with it a real responsibility. The Developing Winchburgh programme connects young people directly with the careers being created on their doorstep.”
Civil Engineering and Model Building
Drew McAllister, Development Manager at Winchburgh Developments, will deliver three sessions on civil engineering. Pupils will build and test models of the new rail overbridge, one of four bridges recently constructed. Drew said: “While the sessions are ultimately about fun and pupil participation, I am hopeful we can encourage everyone involved to consider a career in civil engineering.”
School Perspective
Deputy head Colin Kerr commented: “The Developing Winchburgh programme has become a key component of our school curriculum, providing our students with the chance to collaborate directly with the professionals and companies shaping our town. Through this initiative, our young people have gained a deeper awareness of the career paths available right here in their community.”
Participating companies include Winchburgh Developments Ltd, Lovell, West Coast Capital, PMR Leisure, Pinsent Mason, SLR, Ramboll, PPCA, and Tailormade Media.
