Championing Middle East talent and diversity in construction at Uptown International School
Building on the success of our 2023 partnership agreement with Class of Your Own, we have continued our commitment to nurturing future leaders in the Middle East by facilitating a Design Engineer Construct! (DEC!) work experience week at Uptown International School.
The programme helps bring construction careers into the classroom and bridge the gap between education and industry demands.
Our partners in this initiative, including Sweid & Sweid, Bluehaus, and Heriot-Watt University, collaborated with us to create this year's challenge for the students, which was to take on roles as construction consultants tasked with designing an office of the future for Sweid & Sweid in Dubai.
The main objectives of this design challenge were to prioritise employee well-being, productivity, and sustainability and for the students to engage in hands-on learning about the construction industry. Guided by our industry professionals, they visited the office site and worked in project teams to produce mood boards, layout plans, project programmes, and cost estimates for the project.
Our Middle East team hosted workshops to give the Uptown International School students valuable insights into cost management, long-term planning, guidance around sustainable practice, and effective client pitching, while students from Heriot-Watt University also shared their experiences, providing firsthand perspectives on career options in the construction industry.
This experience culminated with the students presenting client pitches to showcase their work through Building Information Models to a panel of judges from our project partners, who evaluated how well the students incorporated key client needs and ambitions into their designs. Following completion of the week’s programme, students received a Training Qualifications UK endorsed certificate.
Uptown International was the first school in the region to be recognised by Class Of Your Own as a ‘DEC! Centre for Excellence’ for the Middle East.
Our partnership agreement with Class Of Your Own supports the rollout of the DEC! construction curriculum at the school. It highlights our dedication to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education (STEM), as well as the critical role we play in attracting the next generation of talent, bringing a wider, more diverse pool of people into successful careers in the built environment.
Dionne Pereira, Senior Sustainability Consultant, UAE, comments:
STEM education plays a key role in introducing students to various career paths in construction, fostering the next generation of industry leaders.
“Our partnership with Class Of Your Own, along with the support received from Bluehaus, Sweid & Sweid, and Heriot-Watt University Dubai, has benefited the students of Uptown International School with a week of valuable work experience to help develop their careers and inspire them on their educational journeys.”
David Fell, Director of Construction, Sweid & Sweid adds:
Sweid & Sweid is very proud that we have been able to support the DEC! programme for the second consecutive year in conjunction with Uptown International School, and our long-term cost management partners Turner & Townsend.
“It is incredibly important that we as industry leaders can engage, foster and guide new and exceptional talent into careers within the wider construction and development fields. The ability and passion demonstrated by the students during the programme and in their final presentations was fantastic, with the end results setting a high standard of achievement.”
Daniel McDonagh, Education Director, Class Of Your Own, said:
The DEC! programme aims to inspire young people through the professional construction industry including the design of sustainable buildings that will benefit the local community. The programme wouldn’t be possible at Uptown international School without the incredible commitment and support of Turner & Townsend.
“The DEC! core team have provided expertise and inspiration to bring the programme to life at the school. The passion and commitment from the team to drive the success of the programme is inspirational. They have empowered the teachers, many of whom are new to the construction industry, to implement and deliver a range of engaging projects including ‘Design an Office for the Future’”.
“Now in its second year of delivery, the programme continues to grow at the school and I can’t wait to see what Year 3 brings. Thanks again to Turner & Townsend for helping to educate the future of construction.”
About Design Engineer Construct!
DEC! is an education programme created by Class Of Your Own that focuses on STEM learning to inspire young people to pursue careers in the built environment. It addresses the construction industry's skills gap and includes modules on digital technologies, modern construction methods, sustainability, and preparing for architecture, engineering, and construction jobs.
