STUDENTS attended an awards ceremony to mark the completion of a construction careers scheme taken as part of a Duke of Edinburgh programme.

The DurhamGate Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme candidates were drawn from Whitworth Park School, in Spennymoor.

Headteacher Paul Gillis and the North-East director of the scheme, Nicola Meredith, presented the youngsters with certificates.

The careers programme took place over eight weeks and sought to give the students a taste of life in the construction industry.

It included site visits to Freeman’s Reach in Durham, the Carillion Training Centre, in Middlesbrough, and to Faulkner Brown Architects office, in Newcastle.

The award candidates also had to complete challenges such as RollaBall where they split into teams to try to design and construct a runway capable of carrying a ball.

Wendy Minhinnett, DurhamGate DofE project development manager, said: “The Construction Careers Programme has been an overwhelming success.

“It has provided the young people with an in-depth understanding of the opportunities available to them in the construction industry.

“The nature of the programme meant the candidates had to work together to reach their goals and gave them a chance the develop skills and competencies, which can be transferred into the workplace.”