School-college partnership in Inverness builds bridges in Culloden Woods
A GROUP of civil engineering foundation apprentices lent their skills to the Forestry Commission for a project to improve bridges in Culloden Woods.
The first and second year students, who are S5 and S6 school pupils, conducted surveys and drew up designs for two foot-bridges and then presented their findings to the Forestry Commission.
Liam Matheson, area civil engineer at the Forestry Commission, was impressed with the ideas put forward.
He said the standard of the designs were on-par with industry professionals and they would be used in the overall project.
He said: “We really enjoyed being involved with the civil engineering project.
“There were some valuable outcomes which are beneficial for the students and the Forestry Commission.”
The agency selected aspects from the design elements to agree two new bridge designs.
First year foundation apprentice Rebecca McClymont from Fortrose Academy said the collaboration allowed her to help with the ground work and to see first-hand the finished result.
She said: “It’s been really nice to go home and talk it over with my mum and dad – they’re so enthusiastic for me.”
The students’ work is the first stage of a larger project to replace the foot-bridges.
They will be constructed later this year by students from another department at the college.
Gill Berkeley, head of curriculum, said those types of partnership-working opportunities were invaluable.
She said: “Live projects are vital in allowing students to apply their knowledge and skills through experiencing real-life scenarios.”
The students will now have the opportunity to go on to university or pursue a graduate apprenticeship following completion of the two-year course, which is equivalent of three Highers at Grade A.
Foundation Apprenticeships are part of the family of apprenticeships, which enable people to progress from S5 or S6 through to degree-level qualifications.
The idea for the project was initiated by the Culloden Forest Partnership, an ongoing collaboration between the Scottish School of Forestry, part of Inverness College UHI, and the Forestry Commission.
It provides education and research opportunities in Culloden Woods while “managing the area sympathetically to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities”.
