VIDEO | Building a stronger pipeline between industry and education
As the construction industry continues to face skills shortages, stronger collaboration and a two-way flow between education and industry is more important than ever. A roundtable hosted by Leeds College of Building explored how colleges, employers, and government can best work together to build the workforce needed for future growth.
A significant focus of the discussion was on employability. While technical competence remains important, the need for communication, professionalism, reliability, and confidence was highlighted by the employers at the table. The lasting impact of the pandemic on young people’s development was raised as an issue, as was the need for greater workplace exposure through T Levels, apprenticeships, and industry placements.
Programmes such as the Teacher Industry Exchange and the Construction Technical Excellence Colleges initiative were highlighted as important opportunities to strengthen links between employers and educators, while creating a more coordinated approach to skills development across the region, with Rob Holmes, vice principal of LCB, noting: “We need to hide more of the wiring and make the system much more straightforward for employers.
“Through CTEC, we’re working towards a one-stop-shop approach that makes it easier for both employers and students to navigate opportunities across the region. Ultimately, the key to it all is collaboration – whether through employers or education providers, we’re better when we work together.”
There was also a strong call to challenge outdated perceptions of construction and better promote the breadth of opportunities available across the built environment, from skilled trades through to professional, technical and leadership roles. Steve Carmody, who is on the board of both LCB and the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation, said: “As an industry, having greater influence over the curriculum would be hugely valuable. Creating a joined-up approach between CTECs and industry would help bring students on that journey with us, but we also need to do a better job of communicating what the sector really is and the opportunities it offers.”
Watch the video at the top of this page to hear more views on this topic.
Main discussion points:
- The need to strengthen collaboration between employers, education providers, and government to address skills shortages and create sustainable talent pipelines.
- Developing employability and workplace-readiness skills alongside technical qualifications, including confidence, communication, professionalism, and reliability.
- Expanding opportunities for learners through T Levels, apprenticeships, work placements, mentoring, and meaningful industry engagement.
- Giving employers a greater role in shaping curriculum and training provision to reflect evolving technologies, modern construction methods and workforce needs.
- Supporting the successful delivery of initiatives such as Teacher Industry Exchange and the CTEC hub-and-spoke model to improve regional collaboration and simplify employer engagement.
- Tackling barriers to participation, including transport, tutor recruitment, SME engagement, and outdated perceptions of construction careers, while promoting the wide range of opportunities available across the built environment.
Participants
- Rob Holmes, vice principal, Leeds College of Building
- Helen Haxwell, policy and partnerships lead for skills, West Yorkshire Combined Authority
- Ryan O’Loughlin, regional director, HBC Construction
- Sarah Muscas, senior social value manager, Morgan Sindall
- Steve Carmody, member of the board at LCB and CIHT
- Michele Steele, chief executive, Regeneration Brainery
- Daniel Matthews, group learning and development manager, Banks Group
