Building the Future through the Diploma

This year sees the first cohort of students complete their Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment (C&BE). Well-educated and armed with knowledge of new techniques, the class of 2010 are on their way to becoming the construction workers of the future. But how exactly will this new breed of trainees help an industry that is continually evolving, and how will they fare in the face of the economic downturn? ConstructionSkills asked two Diploma in C&BE Champions – representatives from industry who have pledged to support the growth of the Diploma – to discuss the role of Diploma students in the changing construction marketplace and explore if they can help the industry recover from the recession. Roy Cavanagh, 63, has been employed by Seddon Group for 43 years and is currently Training and Education Executive for GJ Seddon. Recently awarded an MBE for his services to the construction industry, Roy says of the Diploma in C&BE: ‘We’ve supported around 60 Diploma in C&BE students throughout the North West, and hopefully these young people can now go on to have a dramatic impact on the future of our industry. ‘Construction is constantly transforming, and the Diploma is a great initiative to help us prepare for subsequent changes by producing a workforce with knowledge of the latest techniques and materials. Understanding new processes will enable our students to challenge traditional, and perhaps outdated, methods of working to produce the best result in a changing marketplace. Diploma students can appreciate the ‘bigger picture’ because they are taught about a variety of construction sectors, which ensures they are flexible to adapt with the industry. ‘By showing them the wide range of careers available in construction, the Diploma will encourage more women into the industry and make our workforce more diverse. We’ll then be able to draw upon a range of skills and talents, making us well-equipped to move forward. ‘Anticipating the future is a way of ensuring that construction recovers from the recession, as training through the downturn means we’ll have a pool of future workers ready for when things pick up. No matter what the economic climate, we will always need hospitals, shops, schools and places to live, so we’ll still need qualified people who are ready to deliver these projects. If we didn’t train for the future, we wouldn’t be prepared for the inevitable increase in demand that’s around the corner. ‘Cost cutting is equally important to our recovery and Diploma students can help with this. Not only will they be trained in environmentally-friendly practices, but their understanding of new technologies means we can use modern, cheaper materials. Considering our industry’s carbon output, will also help to meet government targets.’ Bruce Boughton, 42, is People Development Manager at Lovell Partnerships Ltd, a company that has supported Diploma students nationwide. He said: ‘At Lovell, we support the Diploma in C&BE because the course design means that students are trained for the changing nature of construction. ‘Diploma students engage with employers through site visits and industry talks, so the knowledge they receive will always be current. Unlike textbook learning, which is static and soon becomes outdated, the Diploma will always deliver flexible learning that allows for industry fluctuations. ‘Focusing on the future, and how Diploma students can help us to advance, will be important for construction if the industry is to emerge from recession. Construction is a cyclical sector, and so a future skills gap is more than likely; in fact the industry is already finding it difficult to recruit talented site managers and quantity surveyors. If we train Diploma students during the downturn, the industry can be ready for the upturn with a pool of employees ready to work. ‘Training up young people will also help us to beat wage inflation. Employing workers straight from education means we can grow our own talent, and this means we won’t have to pay increased costs in the future to buy labour on the open market. It’s crucial to take a long-term view with Diploma students and continue to train throughout the recession. ‘Training Diploma students can also benefit our existing staff. Running sessions with the students boosts the confidence of our current employees, so much so that we make it compulsory for each of our trainee managers to give at least one talk throughout their training programmes. We use the Diploma to develop our future managers so we are ready for the recovery.’