Latest news with #WilliamKing
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Cumbrian Construction academy welcomes first students
A construction academy which aims to give vulnerable young people the skills needed to access employment has started training its first students from the West Cumbria Learning Centre, a pupil referral unit in Whitehaven, have been offered access to lessons in construction skills like bricklaying at the Aspire project is designed to help pupils who find it difficult to learn in a traditional classroom setting build confidence and prepare for college courses or of the first students said the project had given him pride in himself and helped him escape the frustrations of the classroom. Aspire Academy is a partnership between William King Construction, West Cumbria Learning Centre and Time to Change West Cumbria. William King's construction firm works on residential and commercial projects as well as contracts at the Sellafield nuclear site. Growing up in Cleator Moor, he says he can relate to some of the difficulties facing the young men he is now tutoring."At their age I had no clear path of where I was going," he said."I didn't have any jobs lined up, didn't have an apprenticeship. I ended up in construction so I've first hand experience of how construction can change lives." Daniel Ghee, head teacher at West Cumbria Learning Centre, said students come to the school experiencing significant challenges to their learning. While those challenges can vary, most find lessons taught in a traditional classroom setting difficult to sit through. He said: "That's where the idea of working off site and joining with industry professionals came from. "The students are learning valuable skills and the academy has clear links to real employment opportunities locally." The lessons at West Lakes Science Park run alongside careers guidance given in school. Rachel Holliday, from Time to Change West Cumbria which works to support local communities, is appealing for business owners to consider sponsoring the next cohort of students. She said employment options for young people in West Cumbria can be limited and Aspire Academy aims to remove as many barriers as possible. A student, who did not want to be named, said having the opportunity to gain skills which would help in securing an apprenticeship helped ease his worries about finding a said having a "foot in the door felt good". Follow BBC North East on and and BBC Cumbria on and and both on and .
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
New wavy road lines to curb speeding in Pa. township perplexes residents: ‘Felt like a roller coaster'
That's one way to go with the flow. A Pennsylvania town painted curved road lines down a residential street in a new 'traffic calming' initiative officials hope will rein in reckless driving — but many residents were left wondering if police would think they were driving drunk if they followed the new pattern. Montgomery Township, just outside Philadelphia, has new curvy lines down Grays Lane complete with curb extensions. 'These traffic calming measures are being installed due to the numerous complaints/concerns we receive from residents about the 'speedway' Grays Lane has become,' . Despite the town's good intentions, locals can't fathom how their community decided this would be a good solution. 'This is not the design to go. There are other options out there, and I think they should have gone that way,' resident Mike DiLorenzo told NBC News Philadelphia. 'I think speed bumps would have gone a lot further as far as slowing people down on this road in particular,' local William King told the outlet. Many residents said that they are ignoring the lines entirely and driving down the road like they always have. Others joked that the crew must've been 'drunk' when painting the lines. One person wrote that they drove down the road to test it out while following the new lines, which felt like 'a roller coaster.' 'If you were to drive like that down the street the police would think you were drinking and driving and pull you over,' another joked, while one mused, 'Looks like you gave creative license to a class of kindergarteners.' While many panned the initiative, one resident cheered the effort. 'With all the school stops and people walking and animals crossing, it's always very dangerous,' Joe Albanese of Montgomeryville told 6ABC Action News. 'I thought it looked a little crazy when I saw the guys do it this morning, but it makes sense to me because folks are always going way too fast down Grays Lane.' But so many residents thought that the initiative was an early April Fool's joke that the township had to clarify that 'yes, this is a legitimate precaution that has been put in place.'
