A WORCESTER school is building bridges with construction firms in a bid to keep the industry alive.

Students and teachers from The King's School, Worcester, joined the chief executive and management team of the Costain Group in London to launch the company's new initiative to promote awareness of the construction industry.

They met at the Institution of Civil Engineers, in Westminster, to hear how the industry was suffering because young people were not choosing to make it their career.

This has prompted Costain to launch Building Awareness, a scheme which encourages positive views about a career in construction by linking schools with firms to create an "educational supply chain".

Working with the Construction Industry Training Board, professional institutions, and many of their own suppliers, Costain will work with the school staff in line with the curriculum.

Together they will arrange work placements, site visits, have Costain graduates give presentations and develop projects.

"I would choose a construction industry career if I had to choose again," said Stuart Doughty, chief executive of Costain.

"From design through to operations there are many professions involved, and in the future we will be asset managers, providing a service for people to enjoy many facilities. Construction is a major part of where the world is going."

After visiting the London Eye, teachers and students were given a tour of work on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

The work involves the complete modernisation of St Pancras station, plus extensions, and new Underground connections which, on completion in 2007, will allow Underground passenger numbers to rise to more than 80,000 a day.