Snap up your stars of the future

Construction employers are missing out on the top talent of the future – but there is still time to snap up a student.

The UK’s brightest young people looking to take construction degrees are applying now to the ConstructionSkills Inspire Scholarship Scheme. 

Inspire matches employers with a shortlist of young people looking for support, so they can select a student, testing them out with a 10-week placement after the first year. At the end of their degree, the young person is familiar with the company, work-ready and committed to the firm.

ConstructionSkills Inspire scholarships take all the hassle out of recruitment, and the hands-on experience reduces the need for introductory training.

Danielle Jackson, from Bouygues UK, the design and build contractors, which is set to offer three Inspire places this year, said: “We take part in Inspire because it’s a great way to give the students the opportunity to get practical experience to complement the theoretical knowledge gained at university – some construction or engineering students can graduate without ever having been on site.

“It’s a benefit for us because they have a fuller understanding of how we work and their knowledge is combined with experience when they finish. For us, Inspire is a way of investing in the talent of the future.”

Sponsoring companies provide up to £4,500 over the course of the degree, which is matched by Inspire to make a package worth up to £9,000. Employers also have the option to offer more time on placement if they have the capacity.

To get the best out of the scheme, ConstructionSkills recommends that students are allowed to become as involved as possible with regularly reviewed projects and tasks. Regular feedback and reviews give employers the chance to stay involved in their progress. 

To register an interest in the scheme, or to receive further details contact: Sarah Lambert, Education & Careers Advisor (Inspire), on 01509 282885 or scholarship@cskills.org.

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Notes to Editors

Media enquiries: Sara McKinnon in the ConstructionSkills press office on 0300 4565401 or sara.mckinnon@cskills.org

About ConstructionSkills - www.cskills.org

ConstructionSkills is a partnership between CITB-ConstructionSkills, CIC and CITB (NI). It is one of the Sector Skills Councils tasked by the Government to implement UK-wide Sector Skills Agreements between the bodies responsible for delivering training in the UK and those that demand it.

Through its network of regional offices, ConstructionSkills' Education Teams work with around 25% of all schools in the country. This involves working with careers advisers to expand their knowledge of the industry, with teachers to supply curriculum resources and with young people to assist with construction-related activities.