BCoT students visit PAH construction site

BCoT Construction Students Gain Dedicated Space at PAH Building & Construction Site

BCoT is marking the one-year anniversary of its partnership with PAH Building & Construction with a major win for students: the creation of a dedicated, on-site learning space at the firm’s Mindenhurst site in Surrey.

This unique facility is located inside a recently refurbished, energy-efficient property—one of the former Ministry of Defence (MoD) homes PAH is upgrading. It means BCoT construction students will now tour and study real, active refurbishment projects, giving them direct, practical insight into the skills needed to help the UK meet its net-zero goals.

The partnership is already producing tangible career results. Rafferty Evans, a BCoT student, has been hired by PAH as a full-time carpenter apprentice. Rafferty is working directly on the Deepcut site refurbishments, gaining invaluable hands-on experience while completing his studies.

Rafferty Evans comments: “I have always wanted to pursue a career within the construction industry and it’s incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to work with the team at PAH Building & Construction on large-scale refurbishment projects. Specialising in carpentry, I’m excited to have the hands-on experience on-site of all aspects of the construction process, while also studying with Basingstoke College of Technology.” 

With over 325 construction students, BCoT is committed to bridging the industry skills gap.

Steve Gilder, Head of Construction at BCoT, praised the initiative saying: “Having the support of PAH Building & Construction as they offer our students numerous career and learning opportunities is a testament to their commitment to shaping the next generation of construction workers. We couldn’t thank them enough for their dedication over the last 12 months.”

Trevor Wilkins, Managing Director at PAH Building & Construction, highlighted the importance of student enthusiasm: “It has been fantastic to see the younger generation’s enthusiasm for the industry. We are proud to partner with BCoT and support the next generation at a crucial time for the construction sector.”

This continued collaboration ensures BCoT students receive the highest quality training, combining college-based learning with essential, real-world experience from industry leaders.