York College students at Persimmon's Bootham Crescent, York

Two groups of construction students from York College studying bricklaying and joinery got to tour Persimmon's Bootham Crescent site - the former home of York City Football Club.

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The groups are on site today (February 6) being shown around by Persimmon staff.

York College bricklaying students with Cllr Kilbane and Lisa Haywood at the site (Image: Haydn Lewis)

Lisa Haywood apprenticeship manager for Persimmon said: “It’s great to be able to host construction students on one of our live construction sites and demonstrate the ways in which they can put the skills they learn to use.

“We’re always looking at new ways to inspire young people into the industry– particularly during national apprenticeship week – and I hope that some of those young people we met today will be excited at the prospect of putting their skills into practice on completion of their studies.

“As a York based business, we’re especially proud of our partnership with York College helping young people develop the skills they need to embark upon one of the many fulfilling careers construction has to offer.”

Students on site at Bootham Crescent (Image: Haydn Lewis)

The visit coincides with National Apprenticeship Week which is an opportunity for the education and skills sector to celebrate the achievements of apprentices around the country and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.

Accompanying the group was City of York Council's deputy leader cllr Pete Kilbane.

"With advances in technology we're not always going to need accountants, but we will always need brickies", he said.

"The students here have heard that a bricklayer can earn between £1,100 and £1,400 a week. It's a decent salary that you can build a life on while building high quality energy efficient houses that are contributing towards the net zero agenda.

"In this country we have focused too long on the university route in education, but there are valuable jobs in construction and manual work."

The new Bootham Crescent development will eventually provide 93 new homes with 19 properties to be transferred to the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust to be made available for social rent and discount sale.

Homes under development at Bootham Crescent (Image: Haydn Lewis)

A wide mix of properties will be available including, two, three, and four bedroom houses as well as one and two bedroom apartments providing plenty of options for homebuyers at a range of prices, which will be released in due course.

The Press has previously reported that Persimmon announced that the three streets and four apartment buildings on the development will be named after deceased York City heroes, paying homage to the history of the site.

Construction of the development is already well underway and is expected to continue throughout this year.

The Bootham Crescent development seen from Grosvenor Road (Image: Haydn Lewis)