Teachers from seven Broken Bay Diocesan secondary schools headed back to the classroom last Friday, not as teachers, but as students to sharpen their skills and knowledge in the field of construction.
A Construction Teachers Industry Skills Day, supported and hosted by leading design and construction company, Paynter Dixon, was held at St Brigid’s Secondary College at Lake Munmorah.
Paynter Dixon is currently building a new two-storey ‘Masterchef’ style hospitality facility at the school.
Phil Cox, Vocational Education Officer for the Broken Bay Diocese Catholic Schools Office said the initiative was a tremendous one as their teachers are always looking at ways in which they can connect with the building and construction industry.
“The day provided the opportunity for teachers to really sharpen their construction skills and knowledge by learning from the best in the construction sector,” he said.
“While some teachers have strong trade backgrounds, it has been some time since they had spent time on an active construction site, particularly with key project managers.”
The skills day covered the importance of safety on projects and the latest in construction methods and technology and concluded with a site inspection of the project.
Paynter Dixon’s Construction Manager, Mr David Trethewy outlined current construction techniques and the application of digital technology, such as cloud point surveying and on-site use of electronic tablets to replace large format plans.
Paynter Dixon’s Work, Health, Safety and Environment Manager, John Doodson discussed the need for well thought out policies and procedures and how they apply in a construction company.
Mr Doodson showcased Paynter Dixon’s Federal Workplace Safety accreditation and demonstrated how sensible risk assessments save lives.
Mark Peterson, from St Brigid’s Secondary College stressed the importance of students being across new technology.
“Our students are known as digital natives, they live and breathe technology and so it’s important we equip them with the latest information for their future career paths,” he said. “The skills day has given us valuable insights into what are the latest trends and techniques on construction sites which is vital information that we will now pass on to our students.”
