Birmingham skyscraper project provides foundation for mentoring scheme
Quantity surveying students will receive guidance from the firm constructing One Eastside, set to be Birmingham’s tallest building
Court Collaboration has launched a new mentoring programme for quantity surveying students.
The company, which is constructing the 155-metre tall One Eastside in Birmingham, will advise and guide five students from Birmingham City University (BCU) to help prepare them for the workplace.
The students are undertaking final-year dissertations that closely align with key issues in the construction and housing sectors.
These include the UK housing crisis, off-site manufacturing, cost assurance in construction, regulatory compliance, and contract management in social housing refurbishment.
“We’re extremely proud to be launching this student mentoring initiative as part of our ongoing partnership with BCU,” said Alex Neale, CEO of Court Collaboration.
“It’s an honour to help nurture some of the next generation of professionals in this way.”
Advice and guidance
The students recently visited Court Collaboration’s offices in the city centre to present their research scope.
They were then matched with mentors who will provide insights and access to data, facilitate interviews, and guide them in shaping their dissertations to address real-world challenges.
“We’ve been inspired by the group’s knowledge and passion, so we’re very much looking forward to supporting them on their journey,” added Neale, who is also a BCU graduate.
“These young minds will not only benefit Court Collaboration developments but will also go on to innovate and push boundaries across the entire industry, both regionally and beyond.”
Long-term collaboration
This latest initiative builds on the ongoing partnership between BCU and Court Collaboration as part of the One Eastside project, which is due for completion in 2026.
They joined forces to create a digital twin of the skyscraper that will use artificial intelligence to analyse data from air quality and energy consumption sensors.
Professor Nick Morton, associate dean for the Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment at BCU, said: “BCU has made a strategic commitment to ‘develop the talent for tomorrow’ in its new institutional strategy.
“Our partnership with Court Collaboration enables built environment students to work directly with industry at the cutting edge of knowledge and innovation. It also provides the best possible opportunity to nurture that talent for the future.”
Pictured above: (from left to right) BCU associate professor Saeed Talebi; BCU associate dean professor Nick Morton; Court Collaboration assistant development surveyor Stephanie Wellington; BCU research assistant Paige Tien; BCU PhD researcher Negin Khosh Amadi; Court Collaboration senior development manager Adam Connor; BCU quantity surveying students Jack Mcgowan and Mohammed Hussain; Court Collaboration CEO Alex Neale; BCU quantity surveying students Ria Curtins and Libbie Hall; and Court Collaboration MD Thomas Taylor (image: BCU/Court Collaboration).