There’s a major need for a workforce expansion within construction, with a staggering 216,000 additional workers needed by 2025 (according to research by the CITB). As Britain and the world looks to build back better, we’ll also be building a better industry.
Education and outreach is really important and it starts with us reaching out to young people and showing them the huge opportunities this sector has to offer. It also means working with schools and universities to make sure both are offering the right courses and advice.
A changing sector and more automation within the construction sector means that the skills bar is increasingly getting higher, which could be frightening people off. But like most industries, you can’t automate everything. There’s still plenty of opportunities for young people to aspire to. Namely, operating and understanding new advancements in technology that allow automation.
There’s no shortage of talent, or aspiration towards developing and improving skills within the generation coming into the workforce, who have historic university attendance. If the opportunities are made visible and accessible, young people are much more likely to consider a career in the industry.
Growing the sector means improving the representation of under-represented groups and there
is much improvement needed in this area! A survey by Building magazine in 2019 showed that only 4% of workers within the sector are from a black or ethnic minority background… So it’s clear there needs to be a real sea change within the industry, starting with outreach to ethnic minority groups, driving equality within businesses and ensuring there is proper representation in leadership. As well as more accessible routes into the sector, which is a key change that’s been highlighted by advocacy groups.
As it was for black and ethnic minority groups, it is also true when it comes to women within the built environment, who make up just under 15% of the construction workforce. Although, for new graduates coming into the sector, women do make up a larger percentage, at 37%, which shows there is a generational shift, but still a long way to go here.
Representation both visibly and within leadership is needed, but also the perception of construction being “boy’s club” needs to end. The historic hangover will obviously take time to correct, but the shifts within the industry towards more off-site construction will likely help encourage more women into the industry, as offsite roles tend to have significantly improved gender representation.
So, it’s easy to identify what’s wrong, but is there a solution? And what are we doing at Built Environment Networking to encourage young people and underrepresented groups?
So far we have held multiple employment fairs, directly connecting employers and prospective employees, including many young people. In addition we have offered free tickets to student groups at key events, to ensure they can make connections within the industry.
We host annual wellbeing & diversity conferences where we bring major employers together to share best practice on creating better places to work. With our strict equality and diversity policies, we will never host a panel without satisfactory female representation.
We also work directly with groups supporting ethnic minorities, LGBT individuals and women in construction to not only inform our own practices – but so we can also be ambassadors for voices like these. The majority of the work here is about learning and sharing new understandings, which almost all of us have the capacity to do.
If we want to evolve, the industry needs to embrace change and ensure that we can bring in the next generation of construction and property professionals. Shifts are already being made, but we’re all going to have to work together to help deliver the future we want and support the workforce of the future.
If you want to start learning, join our online event in January focusing on wellbeing and diversity in construction and property. It’s a great place to start, and completely free – so sign up today!
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