Construction industry intelligence provider, Barbour ABI, has announced a new partnership with Building People to help make careers in construction more accessible and appealing to a wider range of people.
Building People is addressing the skills shortage and lack of diversity in the construction and built environment sector by aggregating careers opportunities – resources, work opportunities, training and events – and connecting these opportunities to people from diverse and under-represented audiences.
By using the data that Barbour ABI compiles across the construction industry and its supply chain, Building People aims to offer greater access to knowledge and resources that will support culture change in the industry.
Current estimates indicate that 79% of construction businesses are struggling to recruit staff and almost a quarter (22%) of the workforce is over 50.
The industry is also overwhelmingly white and male, with just 5.4% from a BAME background, and only 13% female.
With potential expenditure post 2021 expected to reach £218bn and hundreds of thousands of new jobs being created, there is a huge opportunity for the industry to reset its culture for the benefit of the industry and society as a whole, said BarbourABI in a press release.
Rebecca Lovelace, founder and chief dot joiner at Building People, said: “We are grateful that Barbour ABI has joined in with our mission to create connections between people, needs and opportunities, so that we can enable people to find employers, opportunities and resources, and employers to connect with a more diverse range of talent.
“This partnership will help to deliver a Built Environment that improves social and economic value by being better connected and more diverse and inclusive, with access to the talent it needs to solve its current and future challenges.”
Simon Mahoney, group director at Barbour ABI, said: “The need for culture change in construction is vital. It was a subject that was much discussed at the recent UK Construction Week event, with a number of industry experts calling for change.
“The work being done by Building People is exactly what the industry needs, and Barbour ABI is pleased and delighted to play a part in helping to bring about the culture change our industry so badly needs.”
Image credit: Shutterstock/Pand P Studio
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