News & Press — Alchemy’s ‘Yes You Can’ School Program Pilot: Empowering Students to Shape the World
The Alchemy ‘Yes You Can’ primary schools program has officially launched – paving the way for our future builders, engineers, architects and more!
We are committed to changing the way that children – both boys and girls – view the construction industry. Research tells us that children tend to make decisions regarding their potential career-paths much earlier in life than we may expect, and it goes without saying that the future of the construction industry lies in the hands of the upcoming generations.
However, with various stereotypes prevalent in the industry, we recognised that we needed to combat these proactively by nurturing the curiosity and creativity of these young minds – empowering them to witness that construction knows no bounds and is inclusive for all!
It was an absolute pleasure to kick-off our Yes You Can program at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary, where a number of our team members blended education with a series of engaging activities designed to introduce the school’s grade two students to the fundamental concepts of construction.
Session 1 consisted of a short introduction to Alchemy, the construction industry and an activity where our team asked the class to build and construct a number of structures out of icy-pole sticks. The aim of this activity was to help the children to understand the power of problem-solving, critical thinking and team-work in order to complete either a pitched roof structure or a flat roof structure.
“We wanted the students to understand that construction can be fun, challenging and rewarding. We also wanted them to come away knowing that construction is for everyone.”
In session 2, our team began with a short quiz relating to the structures that the students made in session 1. Then continuing the learning through play initiative, students were able to experiment with more hands-on activities by creating miniature cities out of 3-dimensional paper structures that they built themselves.
What did you learn? “Men and women can build together.”
The class were able to learn to communicate and share ideas, all while promoting a collaborative spirit – essential for success in the construction industry. “We wanted the students to understand that construction can be fun, challenging and rewarding. We also wanted them to come away knowing that construction is for everyone.” Says Celeste, Alchemy’s Marketing and Communications Manager.
Alchemy Director, Sarah Anne also explains, “we wanted to spark a connection in their minds and make them think, ‘hmm, maybe I can do that when I’m older.’ ”
By laying strong foundations for these budding builders today, we hope to positively encourage and empower this generation for success well into the future.