Design Engineer Construct! Oldham students to experience technical education at its most real with Arcadis

Students and teachers at Newman Catholic College in Oldham, part of the Emmaus Catholic Academy Trust, are bringing technical education to life through a new long term partnership with Arcadis and Class Of Your Own, creators of the award-winning ‘Design Engineer Construct!’ learning programme.

Young people will apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics to one of the country’s most urgent challenges: how to decarbonise our buildings.

The partnership provides a timely example of the real world technical education envisaged in Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s recent announcements, connecting classroom learning with employers, local opportunity and future green careers.

Students will learn how buildings can be decarbonised through better insulation, low carbon systems, smarter use of energy and water, sustainable drainage and responsible material choices, then apply that knowledge to a real building.

Andrew Dutton, Head of Education at Arcadis, said:

“At Newman Catholic College, students will have the opportunity to explore how STEM learning connects with a real building, a real environmental challenge and the professionals working to solve it.

This is technical education at its most relevant. It will help young people understand why their learning matters, while introducing them to the knowledge and green careers needed to create a lower carbon future.

Our commitment is to build a sustained relationship with the school, supporting teachers, enriching the curriculum and helping students understand the breadth of opportunities within the built environment.”

The partnership will support the delivery of Design Engineer Construct!, the built environment learning programme created by Class Of Your Own in 2009 to connect the school curriculum with professional practice.

Alison Watson MBE, founder and CEO of Class Of Your Own, said:

“This is exactly what ‘DEC’ was built for.

Andy Burnham’s announcement presents a major opportunity, but technical education will only succeed if young people experience it properly through their curriculum – and upstream in their earlier years at school.

Newman students are now developing meaningful knowledge about how buildings perform and how they can be improved. With the support of Arcadis professionals, they will apply that learning to genuine technical and environmental challenges.

If we want knowledgeable and competent young people ready for the green jobs of the future, we must start while they are still at school.”

Gary Quigg, Design Technology Curriculum Leader at Newman Catholic College is excited for the opportunity this brings to his school. He said:

"Our students and staff are excited to develop this new partnership with Arcadis. Over the past several years, we have worked hard to build strong links with the construction industry because we recognise the value these relationships bring in preparing young people for life beyond education. By connecting students with industry professionals, we can provide meaningful experiences that offer valuable insight into future careers and the skills required to succeed.

Our partnership with Arcadis will further enhance these opportunities by giving students access to professional expertise, strengthening the connection between STEM subjects and real-world applications, and inspiring them to explore the wide range of technical, engineering and green careers available to them.

This is an exciting long-term collaboration that will enrich learning, broaden horizons, and empower our students to realise their potential while developing the confidence and ambition to achieve their future aspirations.”

Arcadis and Class Of Your Own are encouraging more organisations involved in school building programmes to establish sustained relationships with schools and use their projects and expertise to support curriculum learning.

With PPN 026, the Government’s updated procurement policy requiring suppliers to demonstrate measurable social value, placing greater emphasis on skills development and future talent pipelines, partnerships like this offer contractors a practical way to turn procurement commitments into lasting educational impact.

Alison Watson added:

“Every school project is also an opportunity to educate the future workforce. Arcadis and Newman Catholic College are showing how industry and education can begin that journey together. It’s a real exciting partnership that we’re very proud to support.”