Reimagining experiences of the workplace

Leaders from across the ATLP have helped launch an innovative collaboration between industry and education which will create exciting opportunities for our students.

ATLP staff joined senior figures from Arcadis UK at Birmingham’s One Colmore Row offices to launch the ambitious scheme.

Ahead of this autumn’s launch of the Careers Enterprise Company’s reimagining work experience model, the ATLP and Arcadis have been collaboratively planning and resourcing a novel scheme of work set for rollout across the Partnership and the West Midlands during National Careers Week in March 2025.

As opposed to traditional drop-down days or workplace visits, the idea is to develop a multi-disciplinary Key Stage 3 scheme of work that fulfils national curriculum requirements.

The sequential six-lesson scheme incorporates science, design technology, art, geography, maths and English subject specialisms, although they are designed in such a way that they can be delivered across two days, a week, a half term or even whole term dependent upon individual school contexts.

Alex Zarifeh, ATLP Trust Lead, Personal Development, Careers, said: “The key to the project is connecting national curriculum subject lessons to a real-world, infrastructure project, specifically Arcadis’ £66m project management of the iconic, Spaghetti Junction A38 Aston Viaduct restrengthening.

Alex and fellow project manager Shazad Ahmad of Arcadis are excited to see both the final outcomes and the impact upon learners.

Pictured, left to right, are Arjun Bains, Principal Highways Engineer (Arcadis), Sarah Sinclair, Assistant Core Leader of Science (Arthur Terry) and Lucy Tongue (ATLP Trust Lead, Design Technology).