School competition set to encourage youngsters to explore construction jobs later in life

Commercial fit out company, JBH Refurbishments is challenging Primary school pupils in the South East to ‘Design the Best Classroom Ever’. The regional competition is intended to enthuse young people to explore the variety of construction careers later in life.

“It has been widely publicised that there is a distinct lack of skilled labour in this country, which we can only assume will become more of an issue in the future,” explains Babs Hubbard, Director of JBH Refurbishments.

“More needs to be done now to promote construction jobs to young people and in-particular encourage more females to the industry. That’s why we have decided to run a competition that introduces young people to construction at an early age and gets them excited about fulfilling a career in the sector.”

The refurbishment company is invested in inspiring the next generation of skilled workers, who could go on to become architects, interior designers, builders, carpenters, furniture makers, decorators and more.

‘Design the Best Classroom Ever’ is a fun, creative and educational competition for Primary school pupils aged 4 to 11 years. The applicants will need to put both their methodical and creative skills to the test to create a space that suits their interests and addresses the practical needs of a class.

“When designing their ideal classroom, pupils will be asked to consider the layout, materials and practical aspects, such as lighting and quirky design features,” explains Hubbard.

Entries for the competition will be split into two categories - Key Stage 1 (inclusive of Early Years) and Key Stage 2. The judging panel will carefully select a winner from each category, who will scoop the prize of £250 to spend on classroom supplies for their specific class. The money will be spent on essential learning equipment; and it will be up to the winning pupil and their teacher to decide on how best to spend the prize money.

“We chose to offer this prize because we are very aware that budget cuts in schools have meant teachers are having to sacrifice essential classroom equipment. It also means the successful applicants will be able to share their success with their teacher and peers. We cannot wait to see the entries and hopefully we can be inspired by some great artwork too,” concludes Hubbard.

The first school to take part in the competition is Staplehurst Primary, which recently welcomed its new Headteacher, Miss Davenport, who said, “We are very excited to be part of this amazing competition, particularly as it presents an alternative and fun learning opportunity, where we can
explore an industry that relates to so many different skills.”

Staplehurst School launched the competition to the pupils during Monday’s assembly, using the PowerPoint presentation provided by JBH Refurbishments. The presentation is one of the tools available to schools to download on the JBH website, along with the information pack.

Preparing to help the JBH Refurbishments team judge the competition entries is Iain McIlwee, the CEO of FIS, which is the industry voice of the Finishes and Interior Sector.

“This is a brilliant initiative. In order to attract the next generation into construction, the first step is to create a positive image and help schools to demonstrate what an amazing and creative sector it can be,” explains McIlwee.

“The complexity of working with schools and presenting the multi-dimensional sector can really put people off, but JBH have cut through all of this by focusing on the immediate environment that the children can easily understand. I applaud JBH for the simplicity of this idea, urge all local schools to get involved and am genuinely excited to see some of the amazing ideas that I am sure will be generated through this competition.”

In the Spring, FIS will be launching its ‘#iBuiltThis2019 competition and all JBH Refurbishment competition entrants will be eligible to enter the #iBuiltThis too. “I strongly believe the JBH Refurbishments’ competition and FIS competition will both compliment the industries efforts to make careers in construction a desirable prospect for people all ages,” conclude McIlwee.

The Design the Best Classroom Ever competition marks JBH Refurbishments’ 15th anniversary. The company, based in Staplehurst, Kent designs and refurbishes commercial, healthcare and education properties throughout London and across the South East each year. School
refurbishments are a popular service offered by JBH Refurbishments, particularly during the summer holiday season.

To find out more information about the competition and to download the information pack and assembly presentation, visit the JBH Refurbishments website or email camilla@jbhrefurbishments.co.uk. The deadline for entries is Friday 29 March 2019. Good luck.

Contact Details

Camilla Parsons
Telephone: 0333 207 0339
Email: camilla@jbhrefurbishments.co.uk