Brick donation boosts college students’ skills

Brickwork students at Derby College Group are sharpening their skills with real industry materials thanks to a generous donation of bricks from a housebuilder.

Almost 9,000 bricks made at Persimmon Homes’ own brickworks, in South Yorkshire, are being used by students in the brickwork department at the college’s Hudson Building.

Practical experience with real bricks is a vital part of learning the trade. While classroom theory teaches the principles, it is only by laying bricks by hand that students develop the accuracy, speed and attention to detail that employers look for.

Working with the same materials used on live building sites helps them understand how bricks behave, how to handle and cut them properly, and how to achieve a neat, strong finish that meets industry standards.

Carol Dixon, director of employer partnerships at Derby College Group, said: “We are hugely grateful to Persimmon Homes for this generous donation.

“Working with real industry materials gives our students the chance to build their skills in exactly the way they will on site, and that makes a real difference to their confidence and readiness for work.

“It’s a brilliant example of how strong partnerships with employers help us develop the skilled workforce the construction industry needs, and we look forward to welcoming the Persimmon team to see the bricks in action.”