The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is calling for secondary schools, particularly in London, to get a builder to meet pupils before they make their GCSE subject decisions
Research by the FMB shows that greater involvement of construction in education is highly likely to encourage young people into the profession.
The research found that 23% of Londoners feel that if they met a successful tradesperson, they would be more likely to encourage a young person into construction.
Tackling two issues at once
Besides aiding the construction skills crisis, this would also tackle the issue of 30% of UK residents asking for improved careers advice in schools.
The FMB has already demonstrated how programmes allowing pupils to meet with tradespeople could work, as year 8 pupils were given the opportunity at the Chelmsford Skills Festival, 16-25-year-olds at the London Construction Futures Fair, and 16-19-year-olds at the open day at Wanstead campus.
The events involved activities such as teamwork-based games, talks from the Future Fair’s director discussing routes into the industry, and opportunities for students to meet FMB members and the first Build Academy cohort.
Tom Peardon, London director at the Federation of Master Builders, said: “A third of Londoners say meeting a successful tradesperson would change their minds. So put one in front of them. Every London school should be able to bring a working builder into a classroom before pupils choose their options. Build Academy, which is a collaborative pilot between the FMB, Shooters Hill Sixth Form College and the CITB, places young Londoners into apprenticeships with small building firms. A year in, it has taken students to become confident, productive apprentices in work.”
Sunny Bamra, program director at Build Academy, added: “One of the biggest challenges we face as an industry is sparking that initial interest in young people. It’s particularly challenging on the small business front — unless someone has a family member who is a builder, it’s not a career people aim for. That’s why it’s vital we get Build Academy in front of young people, showcasing a route into the industry and helping them meet role models to aspire to.”
Many new workers are needed
A major issue causing the skills crisis is that more construction workers are retiring than are joining the industry, and the CITB’s Construction Workforce Outlook 2025-2029 estimates that an additional 239,300 workers will be needed simply to meet demand.
This is at a time when demand for housing, infrastructure, and retrofit is rising, and pressure on the industry is growing.
Travis Perkins has highlighted these issues and discussed how to tackle them in an exclusive for PBC Today, which can be read here.
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