An
initiative to address the skills shortage in the construction sector and make
the industry more diverse and inclusive is calling for businesses to
get involved and inspire the next generation of workers.
Organised
by Built Environment Skills in Schools (BESS), a series of Construction Careers
Weeks are taking place this autumn in Greater Manchester, Birmingham and
London.
The weeks
aim to take positive steps in helping to reduce the skills shortage by
informing and inspiring young people – with the help
of businesses and employers – so they have a better understanding of
their built environment, and the varied careers contained within it.
Manchester Construction Careers Weeks will start 24
September, focusing on diversity and gender, with the Inspire Summit at
the Bridgewater Hall on 25 September a key date. Barbara Res – the first woman
to oversee the construction of a major skyscraper, Trump Tower, is the headline
speaker. As well as encouraging schools, colleges and universities to
register and bring students, the Inspire Summit organisers are keen to get
relevant businesses involved with speaking opportunities, exhibition
spaces and attendance.
In
Birmingham, the careers week will start 8 October, focusing on the future of
construction and tech, with a number of activities taking place at UK
Construction Week at the NEC Wednesday 10 October.
Finally,
London Construction Careers Week will takeplace from 15 October and focus on
past, present and future. Additional activities will take place at London Build
Wednesday 24 October.
With
thousands of students across the country expected to take part, BESS is
urging businesses to get involved. Businesses can get
involved by demonstrating how tech such as virtual reality is used in the
industry, site tours, classroom demonstrations and digital broadcasts. Previous
years have seen digital broadcasts from railway lines and from the top of a
crane.
Kathryn
Lennon-Johnson, founder of BESS, said: “Last year we held Construction Careers
Week in Birmingham and had over 400 students take part in all kinds of
activities. When we first met the students, on average only 2 per cent stated
an interest in a role in construction and less than 10 per cent could name job
roles other than architect or bricklayer. After meeting
with businesses and employers, 60 per cent of students said they were
surprised about the breadth of opportunities.
“Meeting
and engaging with the students, whether on site or through the use of
technology, is a vital step in attracting more young people into the sector, as
well as making it more diverse and inclusive. With many schools and colleges
across all three regions taking part this year, it’s important we have as many
different businesses on board.”
