Case Study: The Coaching Scheme

Recruiting qualified new entrants to the construction industry is a priority especially in the professionals sector. As a result, the Construction Industry Council has developed a scheme to increase the number of people considering Further and Higher Education in built environment and professional disciplines.

The Coaching Scheme is aimed at secondary schools and gives students aged 13-14 the opportunity to work with construction professionals. A network of professional volunteers run monthly sessions in schools over one academic year to encourage more people to think about a construction related career in the professional sector.

The Newham Construction Mentoring Programme gives support to students who are studying for the Construction and the Built Environment and Engineering Diplomas through regular meetings and email contact between students and mentors (the scheme has been newly launched for 2009).

The Coaching Scheme has proved to be a successful initiative with five schools and 30 coaches now taking part. Uptake has also increased from 20 students in 2006-07 to 80 students in 2008-09.

Coaching Scheme students at Eastlea and Royal Docks Community Schools London 2007-08 said:

“The best part of the project was meeting the professionals and seeing all the different jobs involved in construction. The course made me think about working as an architect.

“When I thought of the word construction, I thought of bricks, but now I think of designers and architects and other different roles.”