Director at PMP, Laura Banks is no stranger to the classroom as the past Chair of Women in Property Central Scotland branch. She regularly co-ordinates opportunities for herself, colleagues and others working in the industry to get into the classroom and help children and young people to see opportunities in the construction industry with a particular focus on getting more girls into the sector.

Leading the Women in Property Central Scotland Schools Outreach team, Laura was able, with the help and support of a team of volunteers and East Dunbartonshire Council and McLaughlin & Harvey, to organise an 8-week Construction Programme for Douglas Academy in Glasgow. Groups of S2 pupils were guided through the various stages of designing a primary school with a different team of professionals visiting the pupils every week to facilitate hands-on, workshop-based sessions.

The team also delivered Design and Construction-related workshops to all pupils (from P1 – P7) in Queensferry Primary, working closely with the Head Teacher to engage with a total of 570 pupils across the academic year.  The aim being to give pupils a feel for design, architecture & engineering.  The tasks were adapted to the different age groups and ranged from making paper models of houses within a general ‘townscape’, to bridge design, to pulling together a moodboard and concept design for a large luxury home.

Laura Banks said: “The schools workshops we deliver are always full of fun – and a bit of chaos! It is inspiring to watch the children let their imagination run wild. We need to do more, and we want to do more to open young people’s eyes to the possibilities and opportunities within our industry. I am especially passionate about getting more girls into the industry as women continue to be underrepresented when I know we offer so much to what is an exciting industry; one that has a lasting impact on the built environment, long after a job is complete.”