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Ardrossan Campus project team inspire next generation
An engineering firm involved in the Ardrossan Campus development gave young people an invaluable insight into the world of construction and project management as part of their ongoing commitment to the Three Towns community.
Atkins Realis are part of the design team for the new development which will see a modern, state-of-the-art education and community campus built on the site of the former Shell Oil refinery.
And members of the Atkins Realis team, along with the Developing Young Workforce (DYW) team, visited Ardrossan Academy to deliver a work-based learning experience with a group of S3 pupils. As well as sharing their project management expertise, they set pupils a challenge of considering how they would repurpose Winton Primary when the building becomes vacant.
Quantity surveyors, project managers and finance advisers from the firm engaged in series of workshops throughout the day, showing pupils how to collate and review site data, as well as undertake project planning and project budgeting. Following the workshops, pupil feedback was extremely positive, with one stating “I didn’t realise how much work goes into repurposing a building and how many people/jobs are needed.”
Following the initial event, school staff supported the four project teams to present their recommendations. The team shared their experiences of the project to senior Council staff earlier this month. One pupil highlighted: “It was so interesting to learn about all the different roles of repurposing a building and that opened my eyes to all the possible jobs I could do.”
The work carried out by Atkins Realis is part of their contract with North Ayrshire Council which ensures developers and businesses support local communities when carrying out major works in the area.
Quote: It is great to see so many of our young people had the opportunity to take part and get some real hands-on experience. Meeting experienced and skilled people can be really inspiring and might just be the impetus and spark for one of our young people to embark on a career in construction. Community benefits are an essential part of the contracts we award as it’s vital that businesses give back to the local community and leave a legacy which is more than just the physical development they are working on. A big thanks to everyone involved in the events at Ardrossan Academy.”
Quote from: Councillor Shaun Macauley, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People, said:
Joseph Drugan, Social Value Consultant at Atkins Realis, added: “We were delighted to collaborate on the Ardrossan Repurposing Challenge, supporting young people to reimagine the future of their local built environment. Working alongside Ardrossan Academy, North Ayrshire Council and DYW Ayrshire, we helped pupils explore real world project challenges and develop creative, community focused solutions. We’re proud to play a part in inspiring the next generation and strengthening meaningful links between education, industry, and place.”
Published: 02 February 2026