MidKent College hosted the annual CIOB student challenge on 6 February at its University Centre Maidstone. Students competed to design a sustainable and vibrant community within a given part of London.
They had to consider future proofing the facilities and design, any environmental issues that may arise, as well as developing a community for its people.
Students had to demonstrate how they would incorporate existing facilities such as a waste treatment plant and Battersea Dogs Home into their designs, and use their construction knowledge to build a site for future generations.
The teams had to build their design from paper and card, and present their findings to the judging panel. MidKent College higher education Construction student Elizabeth Slate was the winner of the CIOB Outstanding Student Award from the evening due to her understanding and foresight of sustainable housing, and the needs of its residents.
Elizabeth works as a trainee project manager for the development team at a local housing association, and is currently studying the HNC in Construction at the College. She says:
“I won the award as they said I have explained the affordable housing element confidently, and showed real understanding about why we put the houses there, and the sustainability required for the residents and environment.
The course helps me in my workplace as we have learnt about foundations, sub structure and super structures, as well as improving our maths skills. We also look at site investigations which is directly related to my job. I would definitely recommend the Construction course at the College as it’s such a good industry to be in. It’s still male-dominated, but there are a lot more women entering the industry as there’s are so many careers you can go into.”
Higher Education Construction lecturer Mo Haghi said “I’m very proud to see our higher education Construction students inspire others to become part of the future construction industry through the recent CIOB challenge. They have truly demonstrated their skill, dedication and commitment, and represented MidKent College to the best of their abilities.
Further congratulations go to Elizabeth Slate, who won the Outstanding Student in the Region Award this year. Liz is a very dedicated and committed student, achieving excellent results with her assignments. She also shares her knowledge with her class colleagues, and I wish her all the best for her future endeavours.”
Interested in studying Construction at MidKent College? Read more here about the qualifications on offer.
