Pupils kickstart county’s new construction skills programme
A new programme designed to introduce young people in Essex to the construction industry and develop a diverse pipeline of talent for the region’s built environment sector has been launched at three schools in Chelmsford.
The five-year programme, called “Building a Lasting Legacy”, has been spearheaded by tier one contractor Morgan Sindall Construction in partnership with Essex County Council (ECC). It brings together multiple local stakeholders, including The Sandon School, The Boswells School, Hylands School, Chelmsford College, The Careers and Enterprise Company, Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), and 20 different suppliers and subcontractors.
The launch events, one held at each school across January, included workshops to introduce the programme’s first cohort of 112 Year-9 pupils to the construction world and important aspects of the sector, such as low carbon design.
Alice Kohn, a Year 9 student at Sandon School said:
I enjoyed participating in the Morgan Sindall event. I learned more about the jobs that are a part of the industry as well as learning more about the sustainable building process. I am keen and eager to progress within the initiative”
Helen Clements, Senior Social Value Manager at Morgan Sindall Construction, said:
The Building a Lasting Legacy programme is very close to the hearts of Morgan Sindall’s Chelmsford-based team. We know how vital the support and investment is that this programme unlocks for young people within our communities, as otherwise they may never know about the amazing construction-related opportunities available to them. And what’s more, this programme will help make the county’s built environment sector even stronger, with a more highly skilled, engaged and diverse workforce than ever before.
ECC has played a prominent role in shaping the programme, providing £10,000 in funding and ongoing support through its Employment and Skills Team.
Councillor Tony Ball, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, said:
Building a Lasting Legacy is a fantastic initiative that will open doors for many young people in Essex and we are excited to be involved. Students who may never have considered a career in construction now have the chance to explore the industry and gain valuable skills for their future.”
The breadth of organisations and businesses involved means pupils will gain access to a wide range of insights and experiences to guide their education and potentially their future careers. Alongside Morgan Sindall, the long list of participating businesses includes architecture specialists Scene Architecture, property and construction consultancy Ingleton Wood, and building firm Rose Builders.
Helen Clements added:
The project is a fantastic showcase for the area’s collaborative spirit and energy, as so many people, organisations, and businesses have come together to make it a reality. This is a real strength of the programme, as it puts so much information and access at the pupil’s fingertips. We can’t wait to see how the first 112 students will progress on this journey, as they take their first steps in what may just be a life-long career in construction.”
Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Levelling Up, Communities and Business Engagement at Essex County Council, said:
Collaboration between businesses and education providers is key to opening up opportunities for young people. By partnering with Morgan Sindall and involving a range of Essex construction businesses in this project, we are not only inspiring the next generation of construction professionals but also helping to build a stronger, more skilled workforce for Essex."
By showcasing the benefits of working in the construction industry, the programme will help ensure a strong pipeline of diverse, engaged, and skilled talent for the county’s building-related firms. As a Chelmsford based team, Morgan Sindall’s Essex business is aware of the importance of upskilling young people and how this has a direct impact on the county’s ability to create the buildings in which we live, learn, and relax.
The programme will begin for pupils in Year 9 and continue over the next five years of their education. Year 9 was chosen because it is an important time in a pupil’s education for considering potential careers, as they will be choosing their GCSE topics and need to consider their upcoming work experience placement in Year 10.
During the first year, pupils will receive an introduction to the construction sector and take part in a mini workshop to design a sustainable school. They will also have the opportunity to visit building sites and attend workshops hosted by the programme’s business and education partners.
Wendy Morgan, Head of Year 9 at Sandon School, said:
This programme is so important for them. Having spoken to Morgan Sindall and finding out the level of detail the students would be experiencing, it was too good an opportunity not to involve my year group. It’s an absolutely fantastic opportunity for them to look at the world outside of education.
The first event couldn’t have gone any better – the students were engaged, they thoroughly enjoyed it and I’ve seen some key skills in my Year 9 students that I’ve never seen before! I’ve been their Head of Year since Year 7 and I’ve seen them grow, but today I was totally blown away by them. I’m so proud.”
An event this summer at Chelmsford College with ARU will give both the pupils and their parents an opportunity to learn more about topics such as T-Levels, construction courses, employment opportunities, and career pathways. An awards ceremony on the day will celebrate the students and their schools who have excelled in eight different core skills and behaviours.
Over the programme’s following four years, pupils will receive work experience opportunities as well as further information and support, especially to help them identify the best post-16 and post-18 options for them. Raising awareness of post-school options supports the schools to meet an important Ofsted KPI.
To tackle historically low levels of diversity in the construction industry, the Building a Lasting Legacy programme will reflect the pupil populations within the participating schools. By targeting parity across characteristics including gender, ethnicity, disability, and income at the higher education level, the programme intends to encourage more people from different backgrounds to sign up for construction-related jobs and further education courses.
This grassroots support will help create a more diverse overall sector, which will have a wide range of benefits for businesses and communities in Essex. Early data indicates that this parity has been achieved, and ARU will be conducing impact research, funded by Morgan Sindall, Ingleton Wood and the Careers and Enterprise Company, to study the programme’s success over multiple years.