We are excited to welcome Cosgrove & Drew as our latest employer partner for Work Experience Wednesdays, providing young people with valuable insight into careers within the engineering and construction industry.

The six-week programme has been designed to give learners practical, hands-on experience while introducing them to the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to succeed in apprenticeships and future employment.

The partnership began after Cosgrove & Drew reached out to us following a LinkedIn post highlighting the charity's work supporting young learners. Through a series of discussions, both organisations developed a shared vision to create meaningful opportunities for young people to gain real-world experience and explore potential career pathways within engineering.

Based in Bristol, Cosgrove & Drew is a large-scale mechanical engineering company with a dedicated Building Fabric division operating throughout Bath and the surrounding areas. As part of their commitment to developing future talent, the company established a bespoke programme led by Assessor and Trainer Paul Matthews and Cosgrove & Drew Partner Zac Cosgrove.

Throughout the programme, learners will work alongside experienced engineers, gaining practical experience while developing their confidence, teamwork and employability skills.

The programme got off to a fantastic start last week, with learners taking part in an introduction to health and safety before putting their knowledge into practice through a hands-on construction project.

The first session highlighted the importance of communication, teamwork and workplace safety, while giving learners a genuine insight into life within the construction industry.

Working alongside experienced professionals, participants are able to develop practical skills in a realistic working environment created by Cosgrove & Drew's engineering team. The experience provides an opportunity not only to learn new skills but also to gain a better understanding of the different routes available into the industry.

Work Experience Wednesdays helps young people explore career opportunities, build confidence and develop the skills needed for future employment. By connecting learners with local employers, the programme creates meaningful experiences that support personal development and improve future outcomes.

We would like to thank Cosgrove & Drew for their commitment to supporting young people and helping to inspire the next generation of engineers. We look forward to sharing more updates from the programme over the coming weeks.