We were delighted to attend a careers fair at Woking College today.
On hand and eager to answer the many questions were: Simon Patrick, Estimating Manager; John Rourke, Special Works Manager and Tanja Clark, Marketing Manager.
MCS recognises that there is a shortage of labour in the construction industry, which is likely to remain, until we as a market sector, raise students' awareness of the huge range of exciting career opportunities which exist within the sector.
A report published by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) last week sited that the construction industry needs to add more than a quarter of a million workers by 2026 to keep pace with demand. This equates to 53,200 additional workers needed each year, with carpentry and joinery identified as particularly susceptible to recruitment pinch points.
Another recent CITB report showed that the overall appeal of the construction industry as a career option for young people is low, scoring 4.2 out of 10 among 14 to 19 year olds. It is perceived to be about 'being outdoors and getting dirty' and most suited to 'young people who do not get into college or university'. We want to change that perception and are passionate about nurturing the talent of tomorrow.
If you know of a student who would like to apply for work experience with MCS, please see our careers page on our website: www.mcs-construction.co.uk/careers
