More than three quarters of parents believe that construction skills should be more valued by society, according to new polling.

YouGov asked 2000 parents across the UK about the public perception of trades, such as building, plumbing and electrical, and found that 84% believe that construction skills don’t get the credit they deserve.

The research was conducted as part of Talentview Construction’s wider campaign to encourage parents to talk to their children about pursuing a career in construction.

The results also showed that 80% of parents believe an apprenticeship provides better (52%) or equal (28%) value for money compared to a degree.

The latest figures from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimate that 224,900 extra workers will be needed to meet UK construction demand by 2027 as the industry recovers from this year’s expected recession. That equates to 44,980 new workers every year between now and 2027.

New entrants into the industry – like Ashley Copeland (pictured above, right), an apprentice plumber based in London – are using apprenticeships to equip themselves with both the skills and experience they need for a career in construction. Ashley is currently studying for a Level 3 plumbing and heating apprenticeship, which is a four-year course, while working for mechanical and electrical contractor Kimpton.

“When you do an apprenticeship, you learn from two different spectrums – educational and what happens in the outside world – which gives you get a better experience of learning on the job.” explains Ashley.

“Once I’ve completed my apprenticeship, I’ll be a fully qualified gas engineer. I’ll also be gas registered, which will enable me to start a meaningful career in the industry. I’m also a qualified bricklayer and painter and decorator so I’ll have four trades and a wealth of experience under my belt and would like to set up my own business.”

Christian Warden, engagement director at Talentview Construction, believes that it isn’t just the responsibility of specialist colleges to promote careers in construction and that more needs to be done to showcase all the available opportunities.

“The skills that are acquired through doing an apprenticeship can set someone up for life,” says Christian. “Construction touches all parts of our lives without people even realising, so we need secondary schools to do more to show students just how many opportunities construction – and apprenticeships – can present them.

“From an industry perspective, the ongoing skills shortage isn’t going to be an easy problem to solve and construction needs to work even harder to encourage people to choose this sector over others. Apprenticeships provide a practical solution to bring new talent into the industry as well as opportunities for existing staff to upskill and develop their careers at any age.”

Talentview Construction is a Government-backed platform, supported by CITB industry levy-funding, that was created to provide a single place for people to find early careers opportunities in construction while helping employers to find the skills they need.

For more information on Talentview Construction visit: https://talentview.org/construction

IMAGE: Dante Duhaney (left) and Ashley Copeland (right) – image credit: Evolve Apprentices