News: Nottingham College Engineering students have put their skills to practice and made a bench for a good cause!

This is the second year we have partnered with the Canal River Trust to give our Level 2 students the opportunity to work on a live brief. We were approached by the East Midlands branch, to create a series of benches working with various community groups and have since produced them annually. Last year our students worked with the Stroke Association Trust and this year, they have partnered with the Royal British Legion.

Hear from Matt Jukes, one of our Fabrication and Welding tutors, about this year’s bench.

While projects like this can often be challenging and completed mainly for the sake of appearances, we are now in our second year of successful bench fabrication. Both benches created so far have been a privilege and an honour to be a part of, for both staff and students. The commitment to the project has been a driving force, reflecting an unwavering desire to support these community groups and bring their visions to life.

While all the students contributed in various ways through design, manufacturing, enthusiasm, and fabrication, special recognition goes to Will Bailes. He played a vital role as a student representative in the main fabrication of the bench, personally dedicating four days a week over the summer term break.

Not only do these projects give our students more knowledge and experience within their subject areas, but they also tie in with our social action initiatives. This initiative helps our students work with local communities to improve different areas in Nottingham while teaching them how to work with clients and learn more about different issues that affect members of the public. We both take great pride in the bench project as it represents the establishment of a legacy in Nottingham city.

We spoke with Tracey Letts, one of our Personal Social Development tutors, about how this partnership is helpful to our students.