Training tomorrow’s generation, today

We speak to Phil Eves, Social Value Manager at BAM, about how businesses can help young people fill the construction industry’s skills gap. 

Whether we use modern phrases like ‘training and employment schemes’, or more traditional terms such as ‘apprenticeships’, the idea of on-the-job training leading to full-time employment is a long-established route for new talent joining the construction industry. 

Phil Eves is a BAM Social Value Manager working in the Midlands, alongside the construction teams, and is living proof that training and employment schemes, like apprenticeships and T Levels, are very effective career gateways.

“I started as a YTS (Youth Training Scheme) carpenter and joiner at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. That was an amazing first site experience. After that, within five years, I was an Assistant Site Manager,” Phil says.

Today, Phil’s professional role involves helping the next generation of built environment workers gain the right knowledge and expertise to move the sector forward: “At BAM, we’ve taken positive action to fill our skills gaps and make that learning available to people coming into the business. Our aim is to equip people with the right skills required, through apprenticeships and T Levels, enabling a new generation of talent to thrive in the construction industry.” 

Major steps

BAM has certainly made some significant efforts to improve the situation. The company works with 70 different training or education providers to deliver around 40 different apprenticeship standards pathways. Across the country, BAM currently has hundreds of apprentices, all working diligently towards their respective qualifications.

“Since February 2022 – across the whole of the UK – we’ve also had about 80 T Level learners on industry placements with us. In the central region, where I operate, I’ve had 57 T Level learners on our projects, which contributes to a total of 1,222 days. I also have 15 Level 4 to Level 6 apprentices who I mentor,” Phil says.

“The young people on our schemes will vary their pathway choices. We have some learning hands-on trades apprentices at Level 2 – which is essentially entry level into construction: carpenters, bricklayers and such like – and we’re looking to increase apprenticeships in those areas by at least 100 because there’s a shortage of skilled people on-site. But then we also go all the way up to degree level apprenticeships across different areas of the business.

“There are some specific routes that we’ve chosen at BAM. If a young person has a stellar set of maths results, they can come in and do Quantity Surveying as a job. In construction management, we bring in site managers that are future project managers and hopefully future construction directors. And then we have building services. So with these apprenticeships, we’re trying to fill the areas where we’ve had a massive gap in expertise and knowledge. There’s such a broad range of careers people can explore – from jobs as site and project managers, to digital design experts, and social and environmental sustainability roles.

“Of course, having to organise the training of inexperienced young learners means we have to create the right environment to help them adjust to a different kind of work/life culture than they perhaps experienced at school, and invigorate their awareness of the varied career paths on offer.

“We see a lot of interest in construction roles and I’d always encourage people to do their research in advance. A major benefit of people who’ve done their T Level with us – where they spend 45 days with us over two years – is they’re much better prepared for what sort of roles and commitments are part of the industry,” Phil says.

Expanding on the need to encourage teamwork and prepare for life on-site, Phil asserts: “With T Level students, we’re able to make them feel part of a team and replicate expectations around work. 

“For example, we expect them to be on time and complete a certain amount of hours as part of the qualification, so completing the hours is a key part of the process. They’re essentially an employee and we treat them as an apprentice, giving them that working day experience when they’re with us, while they’re still technically at school four days a week. 

“The whole idea of coming to work is the first fundamental change in young people’s lives. You have to be honest in managing expectations, in a live working environment, where collaboration is key to shared successes. 

“We have incredible people working for BAM, and existing staff who have a desire to support these young people entering the industry, stimulating their interest by sharing their expertise.”

Reaping rewards

In return, there are significant benefits. While the industry as a whole gains by having a more effective workforce, the specific company offering the apprenticeship also reaps rewards. 

“The cost-effective benefits of these training and employment schemes helps us provide a formative and organic way of taking your first-steps into the industry,” Phil says.

“With a T Level placement, you get to see if that young person will fit into your business at entry level and, as a business, you can decide if that young person works well within your company before you bring them in at the next stage of their learning, either in a full time role or as an apprentice. There are other elements that can support small businesses such as making use of grants and access to the apprenticeship levy [see box], that helps with training costs as well. To me, making use of these training schemes to help bring fresh talent into your business is a no-brainer.”

“Through these training schemes we’re trying to give our company a bit of an edge. If we’re able to have an impact on the learning of these young people in the workplace – regardless of what’s going on at college or university – that will underpin their knowledge and give them the necessary skillset to be highly effective employees.”

While BAM is a large employer with the resources needed to fully invest in such schemes, Phil says that shouldn’t dissuade smaller organisations from looking to get involved:

“My advice would be to search ‘Skills for Life’ to find out more about the various training schemes available that can benefit your business. I also recommend collaborating with people like us. Typically we do tend to share some of the T Level learners with other businesses. Smaller organisations who might be able to offer, for example, a week of work experience, can come in and offer a placement to our existing T Level learners, and those young people will then go and spend a week working with them.

“For example, we’ve an ongoing shared agreement with an architect and multi-disciplinary practice in Birmingham, where they take learners who are keen on architecture and also quantity surveying. At BAM we only have so many vacancies coming up, so offering people other alternatives helps widen the industry talent pool. 

“It also means we can help take away some of the difficulties or worries from smaller organisations who are looking to offer training. Ultimately, the bigger picture is that we all have the opportunity to impart our knowledge and help our younger people get a greater understanding of working in construction.”

Getting help with training – the CITB Levy

BAM contributes to the CITB Levy, which helps to promote and support skills and training in the construction sector. Via grants and funding, the levy can also help employers provide training and employment schemes. Click here to find out more.