A Blog by Cliff Kinch
Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the South.
The construction industry is at a critical juncture, facing a growing skills gap that hinders our collective ability to meet the demands of economic growth and evolving technologies. As the industry embraces innovations such as sustainable building practices, automation, and advanced digital tools, the need for a highly skilled workforce has never been more urgent.
With challenges such as an ageing workforce, coupled with a well-documented lack of interest and awareness of what our industry offers from younger generations, a workforce shortage is a real issue. Plugging this skills gap is essential for ensuring the continued growth and success of the sector, so how do we attract the next generation and get them excited about a career in construction?
At Morgan Sindall Construction, we decided to take a hands-on, practical approach to tackling this issue by starting a five-year initiative with the local Council, Redbridge Community School, and various community organisations. These partnerships extend well beyond the physical boundaries of construction sites and have helped lay the foundations for young people, where jobs and opportunities can be created locally. The ultimate goal was to build long-lasting, positive connections that outlive any individual project.
Redbridge Community School: A Natural Partner
Located in a suburban area of Southampton known for high levels of deprivation, Redbridge Community School is home to a dedicated Construction Academy aiming to provide students with practical, career-oriented education.
In 2020, during an initial meeting with Chris Green, the head of construction at Redbridge Community School in Southampton, he mentioned five words that left a lasting impression, “A commitment over time, matters.” Our work together was born out of a shared vision to create impactful, sustainable opportunities for local youth, an ethos that we knew would take time to fulfill but would ultimately bring transformative change.
When Chris Green spoke about the school’s need for a partner to help strengthen its construction curriculum, it quickly became apparent that this partnership was the perfect fit for our team.
In 2021, we formalised this partnership with Redbridge Community School through a five-year agreement. Our aim was to create a meaningful, public-private partnership that would not only benefit students today but also help shape the construction industry of tomorrow.
Bridging Academia and Careers: The Redbridge Construction Academy Partnership
Since the partnership began, we have been working with Redbridge’s GCSE students through a range of hands-on activities designed to build both skills and confidence. These activities include in-school practical sessions, site visits, career mentoring, and work placements. By providing students with this kind of exposure, they can earn their City & Guilds Technical Award in Construction and the Built Environment, a qualification that serves as a crucial first step on their journey into the construction industry.
In 2023, we celebrated the graduation of the first cohort from the Construction Academy. As these students stepped into the next phase of their education, we continued our support, making the decision to take on five graduates as mentees through their college years. By 2024, these five students had entered their second year of college under Morgan Sindall’s guidance, and we were thrilled to see one student secure a full-time role as an electrical apprentice, a second joined one of our subcontractors as a full-time joinery apprentice, while the remaining three continued their college studies, interning with us and preparing to transition into employment within Morgan Sindall in 2025.
The success of this first group has set a positive precedent, and we are now sponsoring additional students each year. In 2024, the second cohort of students finished school, and we began sponsoring another four students, two of whom participate in full-time work experience every four weeks, and two carpentry students during school holidays.
The impact of this partnership is evident within the academy itself, with student retention and attendance rates having surged from below 70% to an impressive 90%. This increase in engagement is a testament to the value that real-world experiences bring to a student’s education journey.
Expanding Our Reach: Supporting Local Charities and Creating Opportunities
Our partnership with Redbridge Academy has now become part of a broader community initiative that also involves collaboration with the Saints Foundation, a local charity affiliated with the Southampton Football Club. This partnership has introduced an employability programme in Redbridge Academy, bringing Morgan Sindall together with the two full-time in-school specialists. Together, we’re developing a programme that not only supports students but also assists parents, particularly those who have “fallen out” of education or employment.
This model is designed to be inclusive and is not limited solely to Morgan Sindall. In fact, we have presented this initiative to our key supply chain partners, and 12 companies have already joined us in supporting this programme. Each month, one of these partner organisations collaborates with us to provide practical training and mentoring, further broadening the experience and exposure available to students at Redbridge.
Four Years In & Looking Ahead: A Legacy of Opportunity and Growth
Four years into the original five-year commitment in late 2024, Satvir Kaur MP for Southampton Test and former leader of Southampton City Council visited Redbridge Community School to speak to myself, Chris Green and the students.
It was great to get her support for the work we do, and she gave “a huge thank you to Morgan Sindall for stepping up and saying we want to be part of communities like this and transforming the lives of so many children I've just spoken to.” [Redbridge Community School - Education Partnership - Satvir Kaur MP visit 2024.
Looking forward, we’re continuing to work closely with Southampton City Council to explore how this successful model could be replicated across other sectors and industries. The goal is to demonstrate that meaningful, sustainable change is possible when organisations invest in local communities over time. While Morgan Sindall has seen clear benefits in the construction field, we believe that this approach could be equally impactful in other industries.