AR Demolition director awarded master’s degree

Trish (Patricia) Sloneczny, AR Demolition’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) director, has become one of the first people in the world to complete a master’s degree in demolition.

The demolition professional was awarded the MSc Demolition Management master’s degree by the University of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom at a graduation ceremony this morning.

Trish said: “When I came into demolition in 2006 it struck me how skilled demolition operatives had to be to work safely and productively on site. This experience is difficult to learn and hard-won, so our industry faces challenges for the next generation, to diversify, attract new talent, embrace technology and innovate.

“I believe demolition taught at the higher education level as part of the built environment is a crucial part of the solution.”

Launched just over two years ago, the newly established qualification was designed by the university’s School of Architecture & Built Environment.

Developed with input from industry specialists, the course is accredited by the Institute of Demolition Engineers (IDE). Study modules include management, methodologies, research, sustainability, asbestos removal and building information modelling (BIM) among others.

Dr Paul Hampton, head of built environment at the University of Wolverhampton, said: “We are very proud to be the only University in the world that offers a programme for the entire lifetime of a building from design right through to demolition and it is thanks to the tireless efforts of partners like IDE that we are able to develop programmes which are both relevant to industry and vital to supporting local, national and international economies.

“Our focus in the School of Architecture and Built Environment is to develop courses that are sector relevant and partially delivered in partnership with sector experts. There is a real potential for this to address the sector skills gaps and provide a meaningful step change for recruiting future talent.”

Speaking of his colleague’s success, Richard Dolman, co-founder of AR Demolition, said: “Hopefully we can use her example to inspire other women to come into our industry and help introduce the particular skillsets, combined with leading expertise, which can help move the demolition industry forward.”

Six other students graduated from Wolverhampton University with the demolition degree.