Based on feedback from 14-22 year olds, the National House Building Foundation's (NHBC) latest research shows only 37% of boys and young men, and 11% of girls and young women, being interested in careers in building and construction. This is the lowest level for all jobs included in the study.
However for a range of professional technical jobs the gap between genders was much less. An important finding from the study was that positive language, related to the role and contribution of house building, significantly raised the level of interest in careers in the sector.
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Concerned as to the impact such low levels of interest may have on the future of the industry, their report makes recommendations for promoting careers in construction, promoting opportunities and the positive contributions made by housebuilding.
Key recommendations include:
- Prioritising promotion of the careers available, explaining these in terms of practical, technical, managerial and business improvement opportunities.
- Countering concerns over lack of a career structures and dead-end jobs by stressing career flexibility.
- Encouraging the more positive promotion on the wider benefits of house building.
- Greater promotion of professional careers and a campaign to encourage greater awareness of technical and design opportunities seen as possibly more attractive to young women.
In total their 9 recommendations for improving recruitment are supported by parents, careers development practitioners and industry stakeholders.
If you’d like to talk about how you could use your project/s for promoting – or even creating – new career prospects in the design, manufacture and installation of really Low Energy Buildings, call us, send us your drawings for comments and prices, or come and see us at our manufacturing plant.
http://www.benfieldattgroup.co.uk/
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