Carpentry and joinery students were able to pick up tips from a leading factory in Donington.
George Barnsdale showed the Boston College group the production processes used in the manufacturer of quality timber windows and doors, including CNC routing and robotic spray lines, supported by traditional carpentry and joinery skills.
And through meeting with Darren Templeman, a former student of the carpentry and joinery course at Boston College and now operations director at George Barnsdale, students were able to hear first-hand what employers consider to be the essential broader employment skills.
John Gilchrist, a senior tutor from Boston College and former mentor to Darren Templeman, said: “We want to maintain a curriculum that reflects industry needs, visits such as [this] provide staff with the experience to do this.”
Students also learned of the company’s pledge to use only sustainably sourced timber, and their commitment to reducing the environmental impact of manufacture through the use of a bio-mass boiler, used to heat the factory and offices.
George Barnsdale is now looking into how it can further support the college with a work experience plan.