Calls for Stronger School-Employer Partnerships to Broaden Awareness of Construction Careers
Education and industry leaders are advocating for enhanced collaboration between schools, colleges, and construction employers to expose young people to the diverse career opportunities within the built environment. This initiative aims to provide pupils with a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the skilled trades and technical professions available in construction and related sectors.
The appeal coincides with updated statutory careers guidance in England, which mandates schools to revamp their work-experience programmes by September 2026. The Government has set a target for every student to complete two weeks of work experience during Key Stages 3 and 4. This includes employer-led activities for students in Years 7 to 9 and substantive workplace placements for those in Years 10 and 11.
Catherine Storer, Director at Essential Site Skills, emphasises the significance of this reform as a chance to dispel outdated views of the construction industry. She stated: “Young people cannot seriously consider careers they have never been shown.” She added, “Construction is still too often presented as though it were one job or one type of workplace. In reality, it brings together an enormous range of skilled trades, technical specialists, designers, engineers, planners, supervisors and managers.”
Storer highlighted that if schools and employers collaborate to showcase the full spectrum of construction careers through education and meaningful work experience, more young people will be able to identify roles that align with their interests and skills.
The construction sector extends well beyond the visible building site. For example, a housebuilding project involves trades such as bricklayers, carpenters, roofers, plasterers, painters, groundworkers, and plant operators, alongside electricians, plumbers, and heating and ventilation experts. Supporting these roles are professionals including quantity surveyors, estimators, architects, engineers, buyers, planners, health and safety officers, environmental teams, digital construction specialists, and project managers.
Moreover, the industry intersects with utilities, manufacturing, builders’ merchants, logistics, property maintenance, retrofit, and renewable technologies.
Catherine elaborated: “Electrical and plumbing careers are a good example. They may sometimes be discussed separately from construction, but they are fundamental to housebuilding, infrastructure, renovation and the move towards more energy-efficient buildings.” She noted that even a brief placement with an electrical or plumbing company can help young people connect their college learning with practical applications, boosting confidence and potentially leading to apprenticeships or employment.
There are multiple pathways into construction for school leavers, including apprenticeships, further education, T Levels, vocational qualifications, entry-level jobs, or university degrees. Individuals might start by assisting a local contractor part-time, progress into an apprenticeship, qualify in a trade, and eventually advance into supervisory, managerial, or business ownership roles. Others may enter through engineering, sustainability, digital technology, design, or commercial management.
Storer stressed: “A skilled trade should never be described as a fallback option. It can provide a respected occupation, recognised competence and practical knowledge that stays with someone throughout their working life.” She added, “For some, that could lead to self-employment or running a business. For others, it creates a foundation for moving into supervision, project management, estimating, teaching or assessment.” She concluded, “We should be showing young people the first step, but also where that first step could eventually take them.” Recognised qualifications remain crucial throughout this progression, with apprenticeships and college programmes serving as initial entry points, and construction NVQs enabling experienced workers to validate their occupational competence.
Construction employers can play a vital role in bringing these careers to life without necessarily providing a full week on a live building site. Activities such as workplace visits, practical demonstrations, talks from apprentices, work shadowing, mentoring, and structured placements can all help young people understand various roles. Smaller companies might collaborate with schools, colleges, principal contractors, or supply chain partners to offer shared experiences covering multiple occupations.
Storer concluded: “Our previous message was that technical education reform must lead to genuine career progression. The next part of that conversation is ensuring young people can see these careers in the first place.” She urged the construction sector to actively support schools in telling its story accurately, noting, “A meaningful first experience could be what turns an unfamiliar occupation into a long-term career.”
