Together with the Bristol Bears Community Foundation, Paramount’s design team hosted a creative workshop at Ashton Gate Stadium for local school students.
The idea of the workshop was to inspire students to unlock their full potential through insightful, fun and practical workshops from local employers.
During the session, our Design Manager Jon Foster talked through a typical design journey from project conception to completion, described the design elements involved and typical challenges experienced, whilst Helen Bartlett shed light on the skills employers in the design and build industry look for, and the range of career opportunities available.
Helen Bartlett commented:
“The students were enthusiastic and very engaged. We tasked the group with the creative thinking behind an interior design project, identifying the types of design themes they preferred, and developing this further by selecting from a range of materials.
These types of workshops help to plant seeds about future job prospects and inspire the next generation. We’re always keen at Paramount to share advice on the industry and knowledge to those who want to know more. We wish all the students every success with their studies and future endeavours.”
Students also had the opportunity to gets hands-on with practical electrical tasks, guided by Cardiff and Bristol based electrical contractor RME Building Services.
What the students said
With 97% of students agreeing that the workshop gave them a better understanding of the world of work, here’s what else they had to say:
– “I really liked the design part, using my own ideas and seeing the material made it real too. I feel I would enjoy being a designer”
– “I was really interested in wiring the plug as I now understand how it works – I’m thinking about exploring this career”
– “Designing the space myself helped me understand what Paramount do. I really enjoyed it”
– “I enjoyed the variety of activities that was available to us, it gave me a chance to try new things and find what I am good at”
The Bristol Bears Community Foundation is a registered charity that works with over 8,000 people from the local community each year. The Foundation delivers a broad range of programmes, serving the community across four key areas including education, participation, health, and inclusion.
Ben Woolfson, Education and Employability Lead at Bristol Bears Community Foundation commented:
“Our aim this year was to inspire the students to unlock their full potential by opening a pathway of education and employment opportunities. Paramount supported this aim by creating an engaging and interactive workshop, which provided learners with an opportunity to learn new skills and build confidence. Learners had an insight into the working world, helping to inspire them with their next steps.”
The Foundation recently partnered with Paramount for their 2023 Tag Rugby Tournament, seeing over 200 professionals from across the region come together to participate in the series of events.
Organised by our colleague Sulli Gardner, the event raised a staggering £13,000 for the Bristol Bears Community Foundation and will go a long way in helping to support the delivery of programmes that will benefit the lives of people across the region. Read more here.
