The Built Environment Schools Trust (BE Schools Trust) has launched the My Education My Future school programme for secondary schools and colleges in the UK
The built environment school resource pack has finalised revisions and is available for secondary and further education institutions.
The pack includes resources designed to attract young people and foster interest in, and raise awareness of, the construction industry from an earlier age.
Opening the sector to more people
Another important aspect of the My Environment My Future programme is to bring construction careers, including property, surveying, and environmental consulting, to more people from underrepresented or disadvantaged groups.
Teachers will be able to use the materials in the resource pack however they see fit, with an award given each year to the teacher who came up with the most innovative approach.
Surveys show that, before the materials were used, 6% of young people wanted to know more about the sector, but after the resource pack was implemented, this rose to 69%, and 33% stated they were making changes or choices in their courses to align them with a construction career.
William Hill, chair of trustees at the Built Environment Schools Trust commented: “The built environment sector is one of the largest employers in the UK, yet the range of careers on offer is not known about by most people outside the sector, and young people miss out on the opportunities it presents. Through MEMF we are proud to provide educational resources that enrich the teaching of GCSE and A-level Geography, and bring careers information into the core classroom curriculum.”
Terry Watts, CEO of the BE Schools Trust, added: “It is only right that every young person has the opportunity to consider the amazing careers on offer in the Built Environment. As a charity this is why we don’t charge for anything we offer; it is all free. The educational materials are developed by teachers, with employers, to enable schools to achieve their Gatsby Benchmarks, bringing employers and careers into the classroom.”
More information about the programme can be found here.
Young people aren’t likely to be interested in construction
In September, research from the Federation of Master Builders showed that construction careers are still suffering from a stigma that makes parents not likely to recommend them to their children.
More worryingly, the surveys found that the idea of entering a career in the built environment were even less popular among those aged 16-21, as most of those surveyed said they would not recommend it to their children or hypothetical children.
This is in spite of the fact that the average wage for a construction worker is now around £42,224.
Chris Carr, national president of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), said: “It’s striking that the parents or potential parents most recently out of education themselves are the least likely to back a trade career – but those in their late twenties, thirties and forties, who have experienced the reality of student debt and insecure jobs, are the most supportive. That tells us we’ve got a serious perception gap to close when it comes to the opportunities available in construction.
“Construction offers young people a stable, rewarding and well-paid career path without the burden of student loans. It’s also a brilliant path for those that are entrepreneurial, as you can establish your own businesses and turnover a significant sum – with FMB members averaging £1m and they range from sole traders to much needed house builders. With the country needing 61,000 new workers each year to meet housing targets, there has never been a better moment to join the trades.”
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