STUDENTS from Ayrshire College visited Persimmon’s Byrehill Grange site in Kilwinning to get a taste of working in construction.

Twelve construction students studying for a Pre-Apprenticeship Award at Ayrshire College took a tour of an active construction site for the first time.

The students visited the Persimmon Homes development to get a taste of the practical side of working in construction, learn more about the variety of trades involved in the delivery of new homes and how they come together to create new communities.

Persimmon West Scotland construction manager, Laurence Watson, and regional apprenticeship manager, Ian MacPherson, gave the students a tour of the site and explained how the process of building a new home and creating a new community works.

The construction specialists inspired the students with their own stories – from their time on the tools, to progressing through the business and managing multiple sites.

Persimmon Homes works closely with construction colleges across the country to create career opportunities for young people through their apprenticeship programme.

The five-star builder announced last year that it had reached a record number of apprentices in Scotland thanks to their partnerships with colleges such as Ayrshire College.

Fraser Doyle, carpentry and joinery lecturer at Ayrshire College, said: "Our pre-apprentice students were delighted to have the opportunity to tour the Persimmon site and greatly appreciated the time the construction team spent with them and the insights they provided about careers in the construction industry.

"Visits like this are invaluable for our students, allowing them to experience a live site and bring to life what they are learning in college as well as equip them with the knowledge and inspiration they need to take the next steps in their careers.”

The Byrehill Grange development in Kilwinning began earlier this year and will create more than 400 new homes.