The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is celebrating the success of its Mind the Gap programme – a groundbreaking initiative that has created more than 170 job opportunities in construction for people with convictions, delivering over £3.5 million in social value and helping to close the industry’s skills gap.
Launched in 2017 and led by BeOnsite, a Lendlease-founded, not-for-profit employment company, the three-year project set out to solve two big challenges:
- A chronic shortage of skilled construction workers.
- High reoffending rates among people leaving prison.
The result? A model for inclusive recruitment in construction that exceeded expectations.
Inclusive recruitment that delivers results
Backed by £720,000 of CITB investment, Mind the Gap engaged with over 400 employers and 795 candidates, resulting in:
- 172 job opportunities for ex-offenders in construction.
- 75 sustained employment outcomes – smashing original targets.
An independent social impact study revealed the project generated £3,536,000 in social value between 2017 and 2020. This value came from reduced reoffending, improved employability, and less reliance on public services – proving that recruiting people with convictions can be both socially transformative and commercially smart.
Participants credited the programme with boosting their confidence, technical skills, and financial literacy. Many also benefited from new support networks – vital in helping them maintain long-term employment.
Collaboration at the core
The secret to Mind the Gap’s success? A collaborative approach. The project worked across the criminal justice system and construction employers to design, test, and deliver tailored training and ongoing support.
Jessica Mellor-Clark, Head of BeOnsite, explained: “The power of collaboration was the secret to Mind the Gap’s success. We’re proud to have brought together Government, business, statutory bodies, and third sector organisations to create lasting change.”
Mind the Gap also inspired the Ministry of Justice’s New Futures Network, launched in 2018 to connect prisons with employers and address local skills shortages.
Meeting the skills gap head-on
CITB’s Construction Workforce Outlook 2025–29 warns the sector will need an extra 47,860 workers every year to keep up with demand. With almost a third of construction employers citing skills shortages as a critical issue, the need for innovative recruitment strategies is urgent.
Adrian Beckingham, CITB’s Strategy and Policy Director, said: “By creating new routes into the industry for people with convictions, we’re not only helping individuals rebuild their lives – we’re also helping employers access untapped talent.
Mind the Gap is a powerful example of the multitude of solutions we need to consider to address the skills shortage while improving people’s lives.”
A blueprint for future recruitment
As CITB continues its mission to build a skilled, competent, and inclusive construction workforce, the lessons from Mind the Gap will shape future inclusive hiring practices across the industry. The programme has proven that by widening recruitment horizons, the sector can tap into a diverse and committed talent pool – while delivering measurable benefits to society and the economy.
For the full social impact study and more on the Mind the Gap programme, visit the CITB website.
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