A new home for Oaklands College’s Bumblebee the owl

Students at Oaklands College have taken learning to new heights with the completion of a brand-new aviary for the college’s owl, Bumblebee.

Blending creativity, technical skill and real-world construction experience, the project brought together students from Animal Management, Carpentry, and T Level Construction in partnership with developers Willmott Dixon – showcasing how collaboration across disciplines can turn ideas from blueprints into a “bird’s eye view” success story.

Animal Management students helped shape the project from the outset, selecting the final design for Bumblebee’s new home. Carpentry students then brought those plans to life by fabricating the panels and nesting box. The final stage saw ten T Level Construction students working alongside the Willmott Dixon site team to install and complete the aviary.

For the T Level Construction cohort, the build formed part of their industry placement programme, a key component of their qualification requiring 315 hours of workplace experience. Many students have already completed more than 240 hours with Willmott Dixon, gaining hands-on exposure across both construction and pre-construction activities.

The finished aviary showcases applied learning, teamwork and industry collaboration, giving students the opportunity to develop practical skills in a meaningful, real-world setting.

Curriculum team manager for animal care Kirsty Strobel said: “This project is a fantastic example of what happens when curriculum areas and industry partners come together. Students have not only designed and built something tangible, but they’ve also experienced first-hand how collaboration, communication and problem-solving work in a real construction environment. The pride they’ve taken in creating a home for Bumblebee is wonderful to see.”