STUDENT VOICE Student Voice SPRING SUMMER 2017 | Page 34

I’m studying Construction Management. I have recently been on two work placements each lasting five days. These companies were G.R Contracts and Kier Group plc - both sophisticated companies. G.R Contracts During my placement with G.R Contracts I wasn’t based in one site, instead I was on three different sites: two of which were in Glasgow city centre and the other in Motherwell. I got to see how sites were managed and compare them. DEAN “ I shadowed the Senior Site Manager who spoke to me about his experiences in construction. ” I was mentored by a Setting Out Engineer from G.R Contracts. I was taught how to line and level structural steel columns using various techniques. In one case we had to use a tirfor to help plumb the frame. I was also shown how to use CAD to create a polyline which highlighted the orientation of each individual steel column. I visited their workshop where I learned about the properties of steel and how it is manufactured and its properties. Their production line consisted of a machine which was used to cut the steel to shape and size. The components were then manually welded together as well as fabricated. Kier Group plc During this placement, I was in contact with various professional personnel. I was taken through the building by the Construction Manager and was shown how the building was being constructed. I learned how they leave a degree of flexibility within buildings - for example they introduced deflection heads to me. These are details designed to accommodate movement in the structural slab when live loads are applied. They were incorporated in the internal partitioning. I also attended a site coordination meeting which was led by the Senior Site Manager and the Construction Manager. During the meeting, some subjects such as delivery time and dates where noted as well as the health and safety updates. I shadowed the Senior Site Manager who spoke to me about his experiences in construction so far and the obstacles he has had to overcome. He was signing off the internal and external windows of the ground floor for completion and was highlighting the tolerances needed to be achieved. This furthered my understanding of tolerances and the importance of making sure they are correct. My final encounter was with the site engineer. I helped him check the centres of steel columns within the building.   INTERESTED ? If your ambition is to build a career in construction we can offer you a good solid foundation in whichever area that interests you. Learn more about our construction courses at www.ayrshire.ac.uk 34 THE STUDENT VOICE SPRING/SUMMER 2017