Sewell Group’s Digital Construction Academy
Helping young people explore careers in digital construction
Sewell Group’s Digital Construction Academy in Hull gives young people practical experience of the technologies and skills used in the built environment. Through digital design, augmented reality and construction activities, pupils can explore roles and career paths they might not have considered and see how their learning applies in the workplace.
Sewell Group developed the Academy to bring pupils into a working business environment, where they meet industry professionals, try out digital tools and learn about the range of opportunities available across the sector.
Responding to a changing industry
The Academy was developed in response to two challenges identified by Sewell: attracting people into construction and preparing them for the skills the industry will need in future.
Digital technology, sustainability and data increasingly shape how buildings are designed, constructed and maintained. However, young people’s perceptions of construction do not always reflect the breadth of roles available or the ways their own skills could be used.
Sewell wanted to give pupils the experience and information to make informed career choices. It also wanted to reach young people who might otherwise have limited opportunities to visit workplaces or meet industry professionals.
From digital design to practical construction
The Academy’s Digital to Practical Construction module takes pupils through the process of designing and building an installation.
Students create a 3D model using software such as SketchUp, then use augmented reality to view their design in an immersive environment. Then, they move on to practical construction, using the digital model as an overlay to help build what they have designed. Activities can be adapted for disciplines including brickwork, joinery, plumbing and electrical installation.
Pupils also interact with augmented reality career ambassadors, explore information about jobs and salaries, and speak with practising professionals in Sewell’s shared workplace.
A second module, Junior Energy Assessor, introduces energy assessment, retrofit and decarbonisation. Pupils learn how Energy Performance Certificates are produced, survey spaces and identify potential improvements. They use Internet of Things (IoT) technology to compare energy consumption and performance, linking classroom learning with the practical challenges of reducing emissions and energy bills.
Developing the Academy together
Sewell initially explored external funding, but the proposal did not meet the criteria of the programmes available. The group chose to invest directly, establishing a Community Interest Company and drawing on support from industry and education partners; sponsors contributed materials, supervisory expertise and software licences. Learners on work experience placements also helped build elements of the facility.
Sessions are delivered by practising professionals from across Sewell Group. Schools engage through existing partnerships, direct enquiries, careers activities and recommendations, with discussions underway to involve a wider range of education and inclusion partners.
Employment and skills outcomes
Since opening, the Academy has delivered more than 1,200 hours of work experience. Its reported participation and evaluation figures include:
- 49% of participants from underserved backgrounds, as identified by schools and education providers.
- 16% participation by young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
- 67% of participants reported that the experience helped them see themselves potentially working in construction and the built environment.
Post-activity feedback also highlights greater awareness of careers, improved understanding of the workplace and confidence in communication, problem-solving and teamwork.
One student reported that the energy module had given them enough knowledge to help their mother understand household energy bills, and several schools have expressed an interest in returning with further groups.
Sharing an approach to employment and skills
For YORhub’s clients and contractors, the Academy offers an example of how employment and skills activity can respond to an identified community need. Sewell has brought together its workplace, professional expertise and digital tools to give young people access to experiences that schools may struggle to provide independently.
This aligns with the purpose of YORhub’s employment and skills requirements: using construction investment to create opportunities for people. For clients, the Academy illustrates the kind of activity that framework contractors can contribute to wider community ambitions. For other contractors, it offers ideas for using their own expertise, facilities and education partnerships to help young people explore careers.
Future Plans
Sewell plans to introduce additional modules, including Urban Regeneration, while continuing to expand its offer around digital construction, sustainability and retrofit.
Its long-term ambition is to bring these modules together into a recognised and independently validated pathway. This would allow young people to demonstrate practical skills and workplace capabilities alongside their academic achievements, complementing the work of schools and colleges.
Mark Boothby, Joint-Managing Director for Sewell Construction and I&G said: “Success, in the long term, will not simply be measured by how many people enter construction. It will be measured by how many young people make better-informed, more confident decisions about their future because they had access to opportunities, experiences and information that they otherwise may never have seen.”