Work underway on major new educational development at Hastings
A former East Sussex College student has returned to lead building work on one of the college’s major new developments at Ore Valley in Hastings.
Rohan Doyle, now a site manager with Sunninghill Construction, is working on the college’s new Green Automotive Centre of Excellence project. The purpose built facility has been funded by Hastings Borough Council’s Town Deal, and once complete will be home to the college’s motor vehicle training provision.
Rohan was a student at the Eastbourne campus and studied the T-Level in Construction (Design, Surveying and Planning).
He completed an industry placement with Sunninghill and has progressed to become a site manager.
Rohan said: "I knew I wanted to go into a management role within the construction industry and, as I didn't want to go to university before starting my career, I saw this course as the perfect route.
"The T-Level provided a great foundation for my career in the construction industry, as it gave me a broad range of knowledge that I have been able to build on throughout my chosen sector.
“I was very fortunate to have a family friend who knew someone at Sunninghill. They asked on my behalf whether I would be able to complete my placement with them, fortunately, the company agreed to offer me the opportunity.
“During my placement, I worked one to two days a week alongside the site management team on a large project, gaining valuable insight into the day-to-day responsibilities of site management.”
Lauren Molloy, Business Development Manager at Sunninghill Construction, said: "We're proud to be partnering with East Sussex College to deliver the new Green Automotive Centre of Excellence, and hope stories like Rohan's inspire more young people to consider a rewarding career in construction."
Rohan has also been able to give back to current construction students, inviting around 120 students onto site to learn more about live projects and careers in construction.
Rohan said: "I know that when I was at college, I enjoyed the site visits we had and learnt a lot from them, so I try to give students as much information as possible during their visits, which hopefully helps them on their own path into the construction industry.
"It felt like a full circle moment being asked to manage a site for the college I attended and it would make me proud if I could make a difference before moving on to my next project."