Supporting the next generation: Vertas Group opened its doors to work experience students

With a workforce of over 3000 employees, Vertas Group was pleased to have welcomed 25 students from across Suffolk and Derbyshire to get a glimpse of working within a dynamic integrated facilities management company.

To make the most of the diverse range of services offered by Vertas Group, we recognised the opportunity to provide something for everyone. This year, we’ve welcomed students to not only focus on their specific areas of interest but also to work across multiple teams, gaining experience in various sectors and disciplines during their time with us.

We had incredible feedback from the students who joined us this year, so we are sharing an insight into what it was like to join our Group over the summer.

Like many students approaching the end of their school years, Karina joined our team unsure of what her future career path might look like. However, she was delighted to spend a week with various teams at Vertas Group’s Head Office in Ipswich. Her week began with the Legal Team and extended to include Project Management, Marketing and Communications, Finance, and Architecture. Through this experience, Karina gained insight into how these teams collaborate under one roof, each playing a crucial role in ensuring the success of the business. Here’s what Karina shared about her experience.

What was your favourite task or activity?

“My favourite was my Marketing tasks. I got to write a small blog and create logos.”

What would you like to do when you leave school and has this changed since working across the different teams at Vertas Group?

“Since working across different teams, I have a better understanding of what I would like to do in the future.”

Now the real question: Who was your favourite team to work with?

“All of the teams were very friendly. My favourite team was the Marketing team”.

Isla came to us uncertain about her post-school plans but chose to spend a week with the Marketing and Communications team at our Head Office. During her visit, Isla explored the diverse roles and services offered by our in-house team, from graphic design to branding. She even created a GIF for one of our celebrated national days and collaborated with our content creators to draft social media posts showcasing her work.

Isla said: “I really enjoyed working with everyone and completing tasks. It was interesting to learn more about everything that the team does and creates on a day-to-day basis and to try this out for myself too”.

What did you get up to during the week?

“I wrote some social media posts, made a case study poster, created a GIF, and learnt how to use Photoshop and Illustrator. I wrote a blog post about awards and learnt what Concertus, Vertas and Opus do.”

What was your favourite task or activity?

“My favourite tasks were writing social media posts and making a GIF to go with it; it was interesting to learn how to make a GIF and see more of what Graphic Designers do.”

What would you like to do when you leave school? Has this changed since working in the Marketing and Communications team?

“I’m still not 100% sure what I would like to do, but I think there’s a big possibility that I may go into marketing as I’ve enjoyed doing my work experience here. I really enjoyed working with everyone. The team was very nice and explained every task well, so I understood what I was doing. Everyone told me about what the team do, and I am very interested in possibly pursuing a career in marketing and communications.”

During World Youth Skills Day in July, Concertus Design and Property Solutions, part of the Vertas Group, hosted work experience students from Morgan Sindall Construction. Twelve students visited our office in Ipswich. During their visit, the team provided insight into architecture and what our Architects, Architectural Technicians, and Designers do. The week was then wrapped up with a project presentation by the students.

The Ipswich team was one of many busy sharing their knowledge and expertise. The team in East Midlands also welcomed several work experience students into our Matlock office. Joining the Quantity Surveying and Architecture teams, Leo, Josh, Ben and Mason gained a real sense of working in a multi-disciplinary consultancy.

Leo visited one of our sites and learnt about JCT contracts. He completed several cost comparisons on tender packages. At the same time, Josh, Ben, and Mason were tasked with designing a classroom extension for their school. This involved conducting a site analysis to find a suitable location, researching example projects, developing a brief, creating sketch designs, and then using ArchiCAD to draw up floor plans and generate a 3D model for presentation.

This summer has been an incredible experience for both our students and colleagues, highlighting the value of learning from the next generation to drive innovation and embrace diversity. At Vertas Group, we are committed to supporting students in exploring career paths by offering a wide range of placements, from building design to environmental services, catering, and more. Our dedication to nurturing talent continues as students visit us throughout the summer holidays. If you or someone you know is interested in a future work experience placement, please contact [email protected].