Volker Wessels Vakschool (Trade School): learning through practice, in all conditions

At De Vakschool van VolkerWessels, the VolkerWessels Trade School in Utrecht, VolkerWessels invests in new talent for the construction and infrastructure sector. Students learn the profession directly in practice. The Vakschool currently offers two training programmes. Vakman GWW and Concrete Carpentry.

Students follow a work learn programme and are involved in daily operations from day one at operating companies such as KWS, Van Hattum en Blankevoort, VolkerRail and Gebr. Van Kessel.

Many practical lessons take place on the outdoor site of the Vakschool. These include concrete pouring, setting out and working with tools and machinery. These lessons require space, safety and continuity.

The challenge

The Vakschool was looking for a covered workspace where teaching could continue safely and professionally in all conditions. The solution needed to:

• provide sufficient working space for groups of students.

• protect against rain and wind.

• be ready for immediate use for various practical assignments.

The solution

Two container shelters of 12 by 6 metres with a sadddle roof were installed on the site. Together they form a spacious, dry workshop that can be used immediately for practical training.

Under the shelters, students receive training in activities such as concrete pouring. This type of work strongly depends on weather conditions. The poured concrete is later used for the next project.

Key features

• Equipped with a front wall and roller door. This makes the workspace easily accessible while still enclosed.

• Steel structure in accordance with EN 13782. Meets safety and stability requirements.

• Weather resistant setup that keeps materials and workpieces dry.

• Modular system that can be installed and relocated without a foundation.

Where else these shelters are used

The container shelters used at the VolkerWessels Vakschool are also applied in other environments. For example at:

• construction and infrastructure companies that need a dry and organised workspace on site.

• equipment and logistics services that want to protect machines, parts or materials from rain and dirt.

• storage and production locations where raw materials, residual flows or big bags need to stay dry.

In addition to installation on containers, these shelters can also be anchored directly onto concrete using concrete anchors. In that case, they are often used as bunker silo shelters for covered storage or as additional workspace between concrete walls.

Thanks to the free span, fast installation and construction according to European standards, our shelters are widely used as temporary workshops, storage areas or project facilities. Every location is different, so we actively think along to create a configuration that fits the site and the work.