South West developer visits North Devon College

Persimmon Homes has been inspiring the next generation of builders in at Petroc College.

Regional Apprenticeships Manager Andy Wallis gave a talk to T-Level students at the college in North Devon on how the five-star housebuilder are employing new construction techniques and changes that are happening in the sector.

Andy also spoke about Persimmon’s multi-million pound investment in TopHat, the leading volumetric modular house builder in the UK, which will enable them to accelerate delivery of its factory-built, precision-engineered homes and marks a significant step forward in its development. 

The business is seeking to support a placement at its headquarters in Exeter, from where some of the students hail.

A stone’s throw from the college’s North Devon campus, Persimmon have three and four-bed homes for sale from £269,995 at their Tawcroft development in Barnstaple, with only a few properties remaining at the 160-home site.

Commenting, Andy Wallis said: “Speaking with college students is a significant part of my role at Persimmon which is testament to our commitment to engaging with young people and creating future employment opportunities for future workers across the South West.

“It was a pleasure to visit Petroc College and discuss with students what the future of the industry holds for them, the value their work will provide society and the economy, and how Persimmon can be where they build their own careers.

“The class were very engaged and I am delighted that the college would like us to come back in future.”

Mark Lee, Petroc College Lecturer in Plumbing and T-Level Building Services Engineering, added: “It was really good for the students to get a clearer understanding of where they can progress from their T levels, as well as highlighting the way the construction industry is evolving.

“I don’t think many of the students were aware of how much the industry has changed and is changing, and I think this talk will have really opened the eyes of some students as to how much potential they have.

“We are very grateful to Persimmon for their visit and we will definitely be looking to repeat the experience for future cohorts of students.”