In our March update for our National Collaborative Working Groups, we’re excited to announce this month’s theme “Behind the Hoarding”, which focuses on providing educational insights and valuable information about the opportunities available in the construction industry.
For this month initiative, we take a look at the collaborative efforts being employed by our contractors to highlight the diverse career opportunities in construction, the challenges and stereotypes within the industry, alongside site visits, live Q&A’s and the meaningful impact of projects on the communities.
Jack Neath, Social Value Advisor, had this to say about March’s ‘Behind the Hoarding’ efforts, “Our Collaborative Working Groups came together, with the local community, to highlight the opportunities in construction and confront industry stereotypes. By coming together for site visits and Q&As, they provided students valuable insights into the sector and ways they can enter and progress within the industry.”
North East & Yorkshire
Sunderland College and Sunderland University
20th March 2024
Compass Developments – Kier – O’Connell Contracting
The North East & Yorkshire Collaborative Working Groups – Compass Developments, Kier and O’Connell Contracting – provided an insider’s view of the construction industry to students, highlighting new trends, career opportunities and significant projects. This initiative had a key focus on inclusivity and featured live case studies from various UK sites and aimed to appeal to a diverse audience.
A special event at Kier’s Culture House site in Sunderland targeted students from various backgrounds, showcasing the cultural and community aspects of construction and garnering positive feedback from participants.
“It was really great to visit the Culture House site during the OpenDoor event on Wednesday. Sincere appreciation to the team for making it as engaging as it was.”
Social value measures achieved:
Employability. The initiative involves offering training opportunities and site visits to students to cultivate their interest and understanding of the construction industry through firsthand experiences. Approximately 30 staff hours are dedicated to this effort, encompassing meeting times, preparation of educational materials and the actual events with students.
North West
Wigan & Leigh College
08th March 2024
Walter Carefoot & Sons (Construction) Ltd – Kier – BAM
On International Women’s Day, Kier, Carefoot, and BAM teamed up to educate 54 T Level students on the diverse roles within the construction industry and to challenge common stereotypes. Through an interactive session, students used yes/no questions to guess the jobs of volunteers from these companies, deepening their understanding of various career paths and daily tasks in construction. The event not only showcased the increasing participation of women in the industry but also provided leaflets and flyers to the students after the session, which contained information on T Level placements and high-level job descriptions for students.
“Thanks so much for today, it was a brilliant session and great to see the students being so thoroughly engaged. Please pass on our thanks again to the volunteers, everyone did a fantastic job…we’re more than happy to support any events in the future”.
Cliona Trueman – Work Placement Team Leader at Wigan & Leigh College
Social value measures achieved:
Preparation: 3 staff members contributing approx. 12 staff hours in total.
Day of event: 10 staff members contributing 50 staff hours in total
London and the South
Borras Construction Site, Brockwell Park House, Lambeth
27th March 2024
Higgins Partnerships – Borras Construction – TClarke – Women into Construction
Our London Collaborative Working Groups consisting of TClarke, Higgins Partnerships and Borras Construction worked with Women into Construction to attend a site tour at Borras Construction’s Brockwell Park House project in Lambeth.
Representatives from Borras, Higgins, and TClarke shared insights into their specialities, available jobs, training opportunities, and general career paths in construction, including apprenticeships and CSCS certification. The event concluded with a Q&A session and refreshments, alongside giveaways like notepads, pens, highlighters and hi-vis jackets.
Social value measures achieved:
22 Staff hours
East and West Midlands
JF Hunt site in Ilkeston, Derbyshire
21st March 2024
Pritchard Holdings – Volker Fitzpatrick – Wates – Cheetham Hill Construction – GF Tomlinson
The East and West Midlands Collaborative Working Group visited live construction sites for spotlight features from on-site staff.
Gabriel, Alex, and David (pictured) transitioned from careers in cooking, retail management and farming. They explored new career paths in construction through work experience. Having now spent time ‘behind the hoarding’, they impressed with their potential and were put through training for operator cards and continued to be upskilled. Their dedication paid off, and they are now full-time employees at the Ilkeston site, contributing significantly to the projects there.
