TEENAGERS perfected the art of bricklaying and scaffolding as they swapped their desks for a constructions site.

More than 500 pupils, aged 13 to 19, from schools in the Greenwich borough donned hard hats as they visited the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich to see first hand the construction of a major development.

Berkeley Homes invited students along for the Construction Careers in Action event as part of a push to recruit more skilled workers into industry.

Paul Vallone, managing director of Berkeley Homes (Urban Living) which is transforming the Royal Arsenal into one of the capital's largest housing projects, said: "The best way for the students to learn about construction is to see it in practice and Royal Arsenal, one of the largest development sites in the borough, is a great place for them to witness a live construction site and discover how it could relate to their own future job opportunities."

The initiative was organised by Greenwich Council and took place on May 14 and 15.

Planning permission has been granted for Berkeley Homes to build 1,223 homes in the area, comprising of a mixture of apartments and townhouses.