{"id":494294,"date":"2024-02-15T12:17:57","date_gmt":"2024-02-15T12:17:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/?p=494294"},"modified":"2024-02-15T12:17:57","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T12:17:57","slug":"qa-why-balfour-beatty-is-supporting-the-sectors-schools-outreach-initiative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/skills\/qa-why-balfour-beatty-is-supporting-the-sectors-schools-outreach-initiative-15-02-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A: Why Balfour Beatty is supporting the sector\u2019s schools-outreach initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earlier this month, Construction News<\/em> revealed emerging plans for a new initiative for contractors to collaborate on promoting the sector through schools outreach<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Specialist firm the School Outreach Company is working with senior sector figures on plans to raise \u00a3100,000 with the aim of creating a network of five regional steering groups led by construction firms.<\/p>\n

Balfour Beatty, the UK\u2019s biggest contractor, was the first firm to pledge support \u2013 and cash \u2013 to the venture. The firm\u2019s UK director of sustainability, Jo Gilroy, tells CN<\/em> why the firm is prioritising the initiative.<\/p>\n

CN: Why is sector collaboration important on schools outreach?<\/h3>\n

JG:<\/strong> There is a really interesting paradox that happens in the construction sector. Some major projects that require construction competitors to work together, such as HS2, or the Lower Thames Crossing. When it comes to the engineering, the design, the build, the delivery of a project, we collaborate absolutely superbly. But the paradox is, as soon as you put something else in that mix that doesn\u2019t have an engineering focus \u2013 schools outreach, low carbon, biodiversity protection \u2013 we do a lot of talking but there is not enough collaborative action. The point of this schools-outreach initiative is to say that this isn’t just about talking. We need to highlight this issue, and then we need to actually constructively take action on the ground and work together. Other industries are more proactive and creative in attracting talent.<\/p>\n

The first step in solving a problem is recognising that you have one. As an industry, we are currently competing against everyone else for the future talent. The sector is behind. It is not that we\u2019re about to fall behind. It\u2019s not that we\u2019re in the middle of the pack. We are at the back. Whether we\u2019ve got talent that comes and works for us, or works for a competitor or works for one of our\u00a0subcontractors, at some point in time, we\u2019re all going to be working together on a particular project. So the benefit is mutual.<\/p>\n

CN: Is this a social-value or a business-critical move?<\/h3>\n

JG:\u00a0<\/strong>It started with corporate social responsibility (CSR). But over the past three years there has been a shift to understanding that sustainability is not a CSR tick-box exercise, it actually has to be something that is embedded into the way we do business. Why? Because if it\u2019s not, the business will be disrupted by that unsustainable activity. And disruption means loss of profit, loss of reputation, loss of workforce.<\/p>\n

In a few years time, that group of school leavers are going to be the workforce that you need. Previously it was very much just \u201clet\u2019s go and have a chat, let\u2019s say, \u2018hey, this industry is great, come and work for us, we\u2019re really cool, we\u2019ll pay you loads of money\u2019\u201d, and then they left. But there wasn\u2019t any follow through.<\/p>\n

CN: What do you think has prompted that change?<\/h3>\n

JG:<\/strong> Firstly, we now have sustainability professionals around the table at senior levels going, \u201cHold on, we also need to consider these things, we need to be looking not one or two years out\u201d. Construction is not the only industry that\u2019s like this, but we are very short term. A lot of organisations run quarter to quarter or do strategies that cover two or three years. When you\u2019re talking about schools engagement, and addressing a skills shortage, you have got to be looking forward 20 to 25 years.<\/p>\n

The other game changer over the past three years is the investment community, and also our customer community, who are really paying attention now. So we get some really good, meaty questions from our investors, which is excellent. And we also have clients that are setting ambitious targets and asking us to break down our figures on sustainability and CSR.<\/p>\n

CN: What is the message that the industry needs to deliver to schoolchildren?<\/h3>\n

Firstly, organisations need to take a very long-term horizon on this. We\u2019ve got to start, for example, with primary schools. We did a fascinating, but equally horrifying, survey in Scotland that indicated that by the age of six, young girls have already decided that they\u2019re going to be a teacher and not an engineer. And that\u2019s from just from the subliminal cultural messaging that they\u2019re getting. So we need to go into schools and say, \u201cThis is a really exciting sector to be a part of and anybody could be a part of it. And we have jobs of all types.\u201d We have jobs that are being newly created, such as the ones around AI technology and digital security. So it really is an industry for anybody.<\/p>\n

Firms wishing to find out more about the construction sector\u2019s school-outreach initiative should contact\u00a0info@school-outreach.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Earlier this month, Construction News revealed emerging plans for a new initiative for contractors to collaborate on promoting the sector through schools outreach. Specialist firm the School Outreach Company is working with senior sector figures on plans to raise \u00a3100,000 with the aim of creating a network of five regional steering groups led by construction …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":129711,"featured_media":494308,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[570,575],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n