School Pupils Visit the Volvo Construction Site in Onsild

The sun was high above the construction site in Onsild when around 30 pupils from Years 6 to 9 at Mariagerfjord Sports School recently visited DS Flexhal’s construction of a new Volvo Truck Centre. There was that special feeling of spring in the air – and work involving concrete elements from DS Elcobyg and steel from DS Stålkonstruktion was in full swing on site.

The visit was part of the DS Group’s ambition to show young people that there is more than one path to take after lower secondary school. Vocational education can also be an excellent choice. When you experience a real construction project up close, it suddenly becomes very clear how many different trades are involved and how much collaboration is required before a building is complete.

Safety First – and a Vest for Everyone

Before the tour, all the pupils were given neon-yellow safety vests. Although they would not be entering the construction area itself, it was important to ensure that all safety measures were in place. And yes – several pupils were happy to take their vests home as a little memento of the day.

“It’s Absolutely Enormous”

The pupils’ reactions ranged from quiet curiosity to unmistakable excitement. Some were – in all honesty – a little more interested in posing for the photographer than listening to everything, which was also pointed out with a laugh along the way. But when the pupils were asked afterwards, their verdict was clear: it was brilliant to see a construction project so close up.

The oldest pupils, who had already completed work placements and were considering vocational education, found the environment familiar. Three boys from Year 9 said that they had already made up their minds: one wants to become a carpenter, one a plumber, and the third is heading into agriculture. They particularly emphasised that a visit like this can make a difference to those who have never been to a construction site before, because it can spark an idea they did not know they had.

Respect, Trust and Tonnes of Responsibility

During the tour, DS Flexhal project manager Peter Stounberg shared insights into everyday life on a construction site, where heavy components are lifted into place by crane and everyone depends on each other to work safely and with mutual trust. When concrete and steel components are moving through the air overhead, there is no room for carelessness – only respect, precision and teamwork.

Together with DS Stålkonstruktion project manager Amalie Lund Ofverlind Nielsen and Peter Stounberg, the pupils gained insight into the process, planning and many roles involved in a modern construction project.

A Modern Truck Centre Taking Shape

The building is being constructed for Volvo and will become a modern truck centre with almost 1,800 m² of workshop space, 1,200 m² of office space, 500 m² of storage and approximately 13,000 m² of paved areas. The project is expected to be handed over in December.

DS Gruppen would like to thank Mariagerfjord Idrætsskole for visiting – and for helping to give young people a more nuanced view of the opportunities actually available when choosing their path in life.

About the Author

Cecilie Grønning Krieger

With a background in journalism and service management, Cecilie is well equipped to contribute to the digital communication across the companies in DS Gruppen. She brings a creative touch to her communication while keeping a firm focus on the facts, whether she is working with internal or external communication, employee profiles or project news. Cecilie also brings previous experience with newspaper articles, podcasts, video and other areas of journalism.