18 August 2026
Clifford Devlin were delighted to welcome Ethan Vafaee, a student from Canvey Island, Essex, for a one week work experience placement, giving him the opportunity to gain first hand experience of the demolition, construction, refurbishment and environmental sectors.
Supporting young people and introducing them to the wide range of careers available within the built environment is an important part of Clifford Devlin’s commitment to social value and community engagement. Ethan’s placement was therefore designed to give him a varied experience of the business, combining time on live projects with meetings, training and office-based activities.
Ethan began his week with a full employee induction delivered by our Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental (HSQE) team. This provided an introduction to Clifford Devlin, the services we deliver and, most importantly, the high standards of health and safety required when working within our industry.
Throughout the week, Ethan was supported by Ian O’Connor, HSQE Director, and Steven Greenhalgh, Environmental Contract Manager, who accompanied him on a range of activities and gave him the opportunity to see both the operational and behind-the-scenes aspects of the business.
As part of his placement, Ethan attended an NFDC regional meeting, where he was able to see how contractors and industry professionals come together to communicate, share knowledge and discuss developments within the demolition sector.
He also visited a number of our live projects, including our demolition works in Putney and our ongoing refurbishment and fit-out works at the Orchard Theatre. These visits gave Ethan the opportunity to experience two very different working environments and see first-hand how our teams plan, coordinate and safely deliver specialist projects.
Ethan also spent time with our Environmental Division, attending tender site visits, audits and pre-start meetings. This gave him an insight into the planning, risk management and preparation that takes place before work begins, as well as the checks and monitoring undertaken throughout the delivery of a project.
Alongside his site experience, Ethan spent time learning about the administrative side of Clifford Devlin and completed a range of office-based tasks. This helped demonstrate the important role our support teams play in ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently and successfully.
During the week, Ethan also completed several online training courses, including Asbestos Awareness, further developing his understanding of the health and safety responsibilities associated with working within the construction and environmental industries.
By the end of his placement, Ethan had experienced a wide variety of activities, from visiting live demolition and refurbishment projects to attending industry meetings, audits and tender visits, completing training and gaining experience within our office.
We thoroughly enjoyed having Ethan with us for the week and hope the experience has increased his confidence, developed his understanding of the industry and given him plenty to consider when thinking about his future career.
