Brooksby Melton College joinery student crafts takings box for Waltham on the Wolds Village Hall users

The box, requested by Karen Riley from the Skills Funding Agency, was created by Sam in the joinery workshop at BMC’s Brooksby Campus, with some assistance from lecturing staff.

Sam, who has Asperger’s syndrome, was selected for this project due to the excellent work he produced during his Level 1 joinery qualification at BMC.

The twenty-year-old said: “It was great to be chosen to make the box as I’d already completed all of my coursework for the year. Making it was a new challenge but I approached it in the same way that I would approach my day-to-day joinery work.

“I’d been given a specification by Waltham on the Wolds villagers, so the design work had already been done. I was then able to create the box by working to these measurements.

“In September I will be starting my Level 2 joinery qualification at BMC, with the hope of eventually working in bespoke joinery or completing further qualifications.”

Ian Sargent, joinery lecturer at BMC, said: “Sam has proved that he can personally overcome his fears and anxieties, and has pushed himself further than he thought that he could. He has adapted really well, even to the point that his support staff can take a backseat a lot of the time.

“Sam has educated many staff and students with his needs, fears and ability to help us understand how he is thinking. If anyone had seen him at the start of the course they would not recognise the student that he has become now.”

Last week, Sam along with fellow students, attended BMC’s Further Education Awards, which congratulated teenagers and young adults who’ve excelled whilst working and studying at the college.