Duchy College Site Sunday!

Site Sunday with Neve Hudson (ENJOY THE READ)

Duchy College!

Wow!!! What a day! I’m so excited to share with you my trip with Duchy College and a delegate of students to JCB HQ, based in Rocester Uttoxeter.

Since joining Holt JCB, I have felt the constant undercurrent of concern regarding the skill shortage within the construction industry as a whole. We have documented much of this across our own Social Media Platforms. We Champion many of our Customers, who are demonstrating Stewardship as they ensure Construction Headlines are dominated with a “Call to Action”.?

Within the short time I have been at Holt JCB, I have experienced the momentum this has built. This “Call to Action” is more than raising awareness. The Construction industry are evidently “do-ers”. They are working tirelessly and collectively to create revised and enticing training opportunities for Apprentices, breaking down learning barriers and removing the intellectual snobbery surrounding the Industry. I have been astounded by the multitude of career opportunities the Construction Industry has to offer.?

A career in Construction, like those of Doctors and Teachers, is a vocation. It is a culture like no other. It is a family where a “hand shake” still means honour. I feel a true sense of honour that I now align myself with the Construction Industry and the culture it represents. I have been very lucky to be involved in many of the training partnerships Holt JCB are working with.

I was initially attracted to my role as Digital Marketing Champion at Holt JCB because of the strength of the JCB brand. JCB for me now, is not just about its brand, it has more depth than I realised. My position affords me (only some) insight into the huge cogs that turn at JCB HQ. I have had the privilege of witnessing some of these mechanics. JCB have been trail blazers in innovation and apprenticeship schemes, constantly working towards the future proofing of our Industry. This future proofing is demonstrated by their investment in education, their vast Apprenticeship schemes, their joint partnerships with many institutions which are all built on a staggering success story. This is complemented by their strive to improve Construction Site Safety through product innovation, improved cost of ownership with JCB LiveLink Telematics and their creation of JCB Hydrogen combustion engines.

It was our Territory Sales Manager Paul Butcher, who invited me on this trip. Duchy College have had a long standing Relationship with Holt JCB. An account Paul takes pride in managing with his Sales Colleagues and the teams at our Bodmin and Exeter Depots. Duchy College kindly allow us access to their training site at Bicton College where we hold demonstration days for Customers. Pauls invitation can only be described as “understated”.?

He positioned that we were taking a few apprentices for what appeared to be their “yellow injection.” I look back now knowing that he recognised it was so much more than this, he just wanted me to feel the enormity of the occasion with no pre-conceived idea. Andrew Shields our Managing Director welcomed the exposure this would bring, seeing it as the perfect opportunity for a Site Sunday Article, giving another valued platform for Apprenticeship Schemes. Andrews brief was simple “JCB with their Events team will host an unforgettable day for these apprentices. It will be informative and support the careers they are interested in. Go and be a student for the day. Write a Site Sunday about their experience, not specific JCB machines.”

In all honesty I was nervous about how well received this day would be by a group of students aged 16yrs – 18yrs. I was not sure if these students were going to be fully engaged and how they would find the magnitude of the site. The opportunity to use machinery can be daunting. I feel quite ashamed that I had these concerns. I must have been crazy to think that way. Instead I shared a day with 35 Plant Operation and Plant Mechanic Students who were engaging and respectful, a credit to themselves and Duchy College. I felt honoured to spend a day with them, the future of Construction is safe.

Paul and I watched as the Duchy College mini bus fleet swooped into the JCB VIP Centre Car Park. What a welcome they received. The Events team had strategically placed back to back the iconic JCB 3CX with the booms extended as an arch, the students were AMAZED! I truly don’t think they were expecting this level of VIP treatment. Paul was keen to greet them under the JCB Backhoe arch, insisting they all take pictures and capture the moment. The welcome by the JCB Events Team and the JCB Tour guides was disarming. Paul was on fire, in his element. As a father of 3 teenagers he created the right balance between making it fun, yet respecting this was the beginnings of their career paths. Through out the day he happily fielded questions about local Construction businesses within his territory area and speaking to the Students about the variety of success he has seen within the business areas local to them. He proudly highlighted the Owner Operators that he supports with JCB products, evidently respectful of their skills behind the levers.

In an age of mobile phones and Social media I was amused that everyone took a while to warm up to my?paparazzi persona!! Paul however was not! It was evident that Paul wanted everyone to absorb every second and seize every opportunity. The distribution of HiViz vests, safety goggles and ear plugs created so much excitement. The starters gun had been fired, Hi Viz’s on and we were off!

The JCB Story was our first destination. I have been fortunate to have visited this a number of times with Colleagues and Customers. It never tires. The story starting in the 1940’s is enough to capture anyone’s imagination. As we progressed through the Bamford Story, listening intently and positioning lots of questions about Joseph Cyril Bamford, we were off to a great start. Drawn to it all and in particular The Dancing Digger static display, the JCB Diesel land speed Record, The JCB 220 Excavator metal sculpture the Site Safe Cab and the JCB 3CX ablaze with the Union Jack, was a photo necessity!

Following a safety briefing in the JCB Theatre we headed to the JCB Backhoe factory line tour. The process of construction was not lost on any of them. Here is where a sheet of steel begins the process with the output of a JCB Backhoe. We walked in silence, listening through ear pieces to the tour guides detailed explanation of each of the phases of build. This is a sensory overload; welding, paintwork, focused workers, moving parts, lifting of heavy machinery, engine testing all within a British factory. We were privileged to walk “the floor” of the Backhoe offices p, where design and innovation is heavily present, yet hidden from view. It is not often you see JCB Backhoes parked next to office desks, this captured the pride JCB have in their product. This route took us to the iconic JCB Factory Entrance where the huge lake could be viewed.

Lunch…always a highlight at JCB. The JCB Hospitality is in a class of its own. Everyone was treated to a huge meal of delicious chilli & rice in the VIP Dining Hall, followed by freshly prepared Lemon Posset. This gave Paul and I an opportunity to catch up with the students and get to know them on a more personal level. Scott Dowd, JCB’s Mid Range Sales Manager, was keen to answer product questions and questions about his own career progression and training within JCB. The Students were rightly treated as equals, not only in the way the JCB Team interacted with them. This format was one I had experienced before with Valued Customers, I can honestly say it felt no different. It dawned on me that this formula was familiar to the JCB Team, welcoming thousands of Students like Duchy College through their doors. For the JCB Team they already knew what to expect. Students who would be a pleasure to spend time with. Awarded with JCB “Goodie Bags” we were ready for our next JCB experience.

Kevin Quarry is an impressive Demonstration Site. There is an observation platform and a newly built observation viewing Centre. I love to visit Kevin Quarry! Holt JCB value this site. I have been here on numerous occasions for JCB product training, JCB Machine launches and JCB Customer visits. Customers value the opportunity to visit Kevin Quarry and meet the JCB Product specialists and the JCB Demonstration Fleet who work closely with our Sales Team and our Field Service Engineers.

Kevin Quarry is notorious for its own eco system. No matter what the weather else were, it appears to always snow or a blow a gale. Wrap up warm is the usual advice. However, today its eco system had evidently had a firm talking to from Mother Nature, wishing to nurture the generation before us. The sun was beaming. Kevin Quarry was full of bustle. The Demonstration Team were on hand to inspire and educate. It was fantastic to see Georgina Williams who had helped orchestrate today and greeted us all, with her boundless energy. I was blown away by the JCB product range available to the Duchy College Students, as where they. Every time I visit JCB HQ it never fails to impress. Always a well thought through agenda, tailored to the audience and always the desire to exceed expectations. There is never any inference that attendees should be the lucky one. JCB always want to leave a positive impression, demonstrating that the customer comes first. The students hurried down the steep path of the quarry to the array of Plant Operator and Plant Mechanic activities they had waiting for them. The activities were designed to test their operator skill, control, accuracy and precision. Particularly showcasing the versatile elements that the JCB 3CX has to offer.

The Plant Operators activities consisted of a timed pins challenge for accuracy, a shoveling technique challenge in a JCB 3CX, a timed shape puzzle activity in a JCB Midi Excavator fitting the correct elements into the puzzle pieces and a timed bowling ball challenge in a JCB Telehandler, testing depth perception.

The Plant mechanics activities consisted of a JCB 3CX Pro and Plus and a JCB Wheeled Loading Shovel, product walk around. Followed by a Q&A with JCB product specialists and demonstrators. The students then were able to have a go at operating these JCB machines. They then did a JCB 220X and JCB Hydradig product walkaround, with another Q&A and an opportunity for the students to operate the machines. The final activity was appropriately named ‘Hook A Duck’, which featured two little pools with giant ducks with hooks attached to them. Testing their accuracy, control, patience and precision in one. Moving the ducks from one pool to the other, in a JCB 3CX.

Talking with the students, it was clear they thoroughly enjoyed the interactive part of the day, where they got to operate a number of JCB machines. It was fantastic to see the students cheering each other on when completing the challenges, mixed with the competitive element of wanting to have the fastest time. The students were keen to ask the JCB specialists and demonstrators a number of questions on the product, and excited to have the opportunity to operate a number of JCB machines. The activities that the students seemed to enjoy the most were the timed ‘Shape puzzle activity’ and the ‘Hook A Duck’ challenge. When asked why, the students explained they found these activities the most challenging but enjoyed testing their control, accuracy and precision through this fun activity in the JCB 3CX. Many of the students said they enjoyed operating the JCB 3CX, finding it easy to operate and control. Once all the students had finished the activities and the times were recorded. Along with some of the JCB product specialist and demonstrators’ times being beat by the students. Prizes were given out to the winners of each of the activities. Which was rounded off by a final group photo in front of the iconic JCB 3CX.

I enjoyed taking a number of videos and photos of the students operating the machines, capturing them concentrating and having fun in the JCB machinery. I was thankful that Paul invited me on this factory visit. For Paul and the Territory Sales Managers and Specialist Teams at Holt JCB, it’s not just about selling “the yellow metal”, it’s about forming valued relationships. This trip allowed me to see another side to the construction industry. Through doing these site Sunday articles, it is opening up my perspective to the industry and making me aware of how many applications JCB machines are open to. Witnessing the passion and enthusiasm the students had to learn about the JCB product and listening to operator advice, made me excited for the future of construction and have even more respect for the dedication plant mechanics and plant operators put into their work.

As the day drew to an end, it became apparent that whilst JCB invest in innovation, they dedicate an equal level of investment into future Operators, Mechanics and potential Business Owners. Today these 35 Duchy College Students were given a powerful insight to the vast world available to them within the construction industry. I strongly believe that JCB as a British Company take this investment and the seriousness of this proposition to levels that I know to be often unseen and unpublished. Personally, this is what I believe makes JCB the great company, that it is in the market place today. How lucky these Students were to have been hosted by the team at JCB and to attend such an empowering College. Duchy College…they were a credit to you.

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