Work with Schools to Solve Construction Skills Crisis, Says Beard

Chronic construction skill shortages in the south of England could be solved if more construction companies worked more closely with schools to engage students at an earlier age, says Marc Bayley, director of leading regional construction company Beard.

Construction: an exciting industry

“Unfortunately, only a few young people see construction as a viable, well-paid and exciting industry to work in because careers information at school is generally inadequate and outdated,” said Bayley.

Construction chief Bayley also addressed the common misconception that the industry isn’t female-friendly. “There is a perception that construction is an unsophisticated and physically demanding industry to work in that’s unsuited to women, which is not the case. Our industry needs to recruit many more women if we are going to resolve the current skills crisis. Young men and women are sadly missing out on a huge range of fantastic, high-salary career opportunities in construction which require all sorts of different skills-sets and specialisms.”

Building closer relationships with schools

Developing a closer relationship with school career advisors, teachers and students is key to changing the image of construction, according to Bayley.

“Students need to know that building London’s Olympic Park, a life-saving hospital or a cutting-edge university research facility, is as exciting and important as a career in finance, medicine or IT,” he explained. “We need to be communicating this to youngsters when they are in primary school so they have a positive image of construction from an early age. We also need to work more collaboratively with teachers and careers advisors on industry-related educational visits, special building projects and fun activities which can be linked to the school curriculum.”

Encouraging informed choices

Bayley, who heads up the Swindon office of Beard, also made reference to the importance of giving students the opportunity to make informed decisions when choosing their career path.

“By stepping into the classroom and sharing insights about apprenticeships, work placements and our own career paths, we can help young people make informed choices,” he said. “We can also advise them on the skill-sets and qualifications they’ll need to succeed in the digital construction world of the future.”

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