Contract Journal magazine will tomorrow report that CITB-Construction Skills, part of the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry, will hand over 1m to sponsor up to 200 potential recruits through university, compared with 60 last year. This comes as combined construction courses see a 50.1% increase in undergraduate applications for architecture, building and planning according to UCAS, the central organisation which processes these applications for UK universities and colleges.
CITB recruitment manager Paul Sykes told Contract Journal that high profile projects are attracting applicants. He said: Weíve seen initiatives like the Olympics coming on, and this is saying to people they can be involved in an exciting project, whether theyíre putting it together or designing it.
CITB said it expects higher tuition fees to push applicants to think more seriously about what they will do after their courses. It aims to work with construction companies to provide up to half of a 9,000 sponsorship package per student over three years.
The sponsorship includes students taking a 10-week summer placement with a construction company. A CITB spokeswoman said the approach would help companies to recruit graduates. She said: Companies can make of it what they will, such as whether they want to guarantee students a job at the end of it. Itís good for employers because when they come to recruit graduates, instead of having to start from scratch, youíve got some ëready-madeí potential recruits, or ëpriority graduatesí who have got some experience.
Contractors already involved in the scheme include Amec, Balfour Beatty, Mowlem and Persimmon. Companies offer some students placements for their sandwich years.
Sykes said CITBís scholarships will complement the increased interest. He said: We have over the last three or four years been involved in an extensive image campaign, part of which has been a desire to get the best young people, who can in turn benefit through these sponsorships.
Contract Journalís deputy news editor Ross Pearman said: ìThe latest uptake figures for construction is great news for an industry which is still struggling to find skilled labour.
ìIt shows that construction can be a fantastic opportunity for graduates and gives them a chance to leave their legacy for future generations. The chance has never been greater with the 2012 Olympic Games on the horizon.
ìThe CITB deserves a firm pat on the back in announcing this pledge of 1m in sponsorship funds as this provides a great vehicle to get the industryís skills resource numbers moving at a pace.î
Demand for construction courses increase by 50 per cent
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