ACE Chief Executive Hannah Vickers joined students at Leeds College of Building on Friday 1 March to discuss the career opportunities and pathways available to them within the industry. 

Hannah explained her own pathway into the sector, from a degree course in River and Coastal Engineering, through leading the Policy and Public Affairs team at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), to becoming the chief executive of ACE in 2018. 

The students are undertaking the BTEC Level 3 Construction and the Built Environment course, which aims to provide an understanding of the construction industry including health and safety, maths, science and materials, estimating and surveying. 

The 16-18 year study programme, aimed at students who are finishing year 11 this year, or for those who have recently left, is equivalent to 3 A-Levels. The course enables participants to progress their careers in the construction and built environment sector in jobs such as architecture, quantity surveying, building surveying, civil engineering, construction management, and building services engineering.  

After completing this course there are a number of options available to students, including a move onto a higher education course, apprenticeship or a degree at university, for example in architecture, quantity surveying, building surveying, civil engineering, construction management and building services engineering. Alternatively, the experience will give students the opportunity to seek employment in the construction and built environment sectors.