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Employer speaker challenges gender stereotypes

Suggested Age Range: 13 - 16
Hours to Prepare & Review: 2
Type of Activity: Employer Talk

Helston School hosted a morning assembly delivered by the construction company BAM.  BAM were building a new wing of the school and were keen to engage with the students.  Penny Laban their careers leader arranged for the whole of year to attend the assembly.

As a construction company BAM are facing the same issues in recruitment as many of its peer organisations and are committed to engaging the education sector and encouraging students to consider a role in the construction industry.

The assembly lasted for approximately 20 minutes and was structured well to deliver a number of learning points including an outline of the industry, a detailed introduction to a particular role (site manager), pathways into the sector and technological advances and how they are changing the face of construction. It also addressed gender stereotypes.

There were two BAM officers delivering the assembly and they engaged the students by using an AI robot to demonstrate the technological advances in construction and how it will soon be possible to build structures remotely.

Throughout the delivery the information was given in a jargon free-way with plenty of opportunities for questions.  BAM cleverly used two students as part of the activity demonstrating the programme for remotely activating the robot – purposefully choosing both a girl and a boy highlighting the roles as being gender neutral.