Robertson Group celebrated the launch of its latest education partnership with Perth Grammar at the school’s prize giving ceremony this week.

The strategic partnership will include a bespoke programme of placement opportunities, mentoring, employment events and skills building, and marks the infrastructure giant’s fifth school partnership.

The initiative with Perth Grammar, led by Robertson’s chief executive Derek Shewan and Tony Fry, managing director of Robertson’s civil engineering business, follows the announcement that the business engaged with more than 23,000 young people in 2017.

Derek Shewan said: “It is of the highest priority to Robertson to facilitate opportunities which enhance the student experience, helping the next generation successfully transition from education to employment while highlighting the exciting and varied opportunities within the construction sector.

“Our partnership with Perth Grammar is part of our wider Young People Strategy, through which we are committed to working closely with education providers to provide tailored activities that include mentoring, work-based learning, placements and apprenticeships.

“Ultimately the vision for Robertson being Perth Grammar School’s main strategic partner is to improve the education experience through a mutually supportive relationship.”

Fiona Robertson, head teacher of Perth Grammar School, said: “Robertson has committed to being the main strategic partner of Perth Grammar School as of 2018. In doing so, it has demonstrated a willingness to not only ‘transform the built environment’ but to transform the learning experience and curriculum of our children and young people.

“Partnerships such as these are central to our future aspirations to become an outstanding learning community, and together with Robertson we can ensure that ‘Perth is the Place’ for future innovative growth and development with young people placed at the heart of what we do.”

Existing partnerships with schools have proven to be hugely successful, with Robertson recently welcoming Ryan Hamilton (18) as a trainee quantity surveyor, who was recruited following a Robertson careers event at Bannockburn High School in Stirling.

The school partnership forms part of Robertson’s wider Young People Strategy, put in place to facilitate the development of young people at varying stages of their careers, actioned through high school and higher education partnerships, apprentice, trainee & graduate programmes and professional development schemes.