Constructing careers

Regeneration & Renewal, 14 November 2008

As part of the Government's plans to shake up secondary education, the first wave of students started classes in the construction and built environment (C&BE) diploma this term. It is one of five subjects in the first batch of new diplomas. A further five are due to make their way on to the curriculum next year, with a total of 17 set to be available by 2011.

Diplomas are labelled as an "applied" qualifications because, as well as covering traditional subjects such as English and maths, pupils taking a diploma also study life skills such as team working and creative thinking based around their chosen subject. The qualification is billed as both a credible academic alternative to GCSEs and A-levels and an effective preparation for the world of work.

However, initial uptake of the C&BE diplomas has been lower than expected with just 3,054 students signed up to the C&BE diploma by July this year. The Government had projected a figure of 10,000. Furthermore, uncertainty over how it will be viewed by universities and employers suggests there are still significant hurdles to overcome.

The content of the C&BE diploma was overseen by a diploma development partnership that comprised six sector skills councils, construction firms, further and higher education providers, awarding bodies and other key parties.

Their approach was to aim to take the best from existing qualifications and, where necessary, create new content. At least half of the diploma's mandatory element will be work-related learning relevant to construction and the built environment, but it will also aim to ensure that pupils achieve the necessary standards in maths, English and information and communications technology.

Nick Gooderson, head of standards and qualifications at sector skills council Construction Skills, says: "One of the common misconceptions about the diploma is that it prepares young people to work in construction. It is actually about providing a learning context. Children are taught science, but they don't all go on to become scientists. It's about exercising the brain. Similarly, construction is rich with content about maths, science, heritage, history, renewable energy, environment, sustainability, planning and design, as well as practical skills."

The qualifications have also been designed to be flexible - allowing pupils to switch easily between diplomas. Students can thereby avoid the worry that they are narrowing their choices by focusing on one field of study at such an early age.

Delivering qualifications involving practical experience requires plenty of employer involvement. Alongside work placements and site visits, firms come into schools to teach. "They actually help plan the curriculum. It's critical that employers are involved in this way and the qualification is viewed as being employer-led," says Gooderson.

At present, there is a skills drought in the construction industry, thought in part to be the result of a lack of related courses in schools. In contrast to many of the other sectors recognised by diploma qualifications launched this academic year - such as IT and media - there is a lack of subjects relevant to the construction industry on the curriculum.

"We've always struggled to get into schools," says Gooderson. "Children haven't got a good image of construction. They tend to just think of dirty, horrible building sites. This is a chance to demonstrate the breadth of career opportunities and progression routes (in the sector) and the fact that construction has an impact on everyone."

Trudy Birtwell, learning and skills director at regeneration skills body the Academy for Sustainable Communities, backs the diploma for similar reasons. "We welcome any initiative that helps to increase skills among young people and provides them with an insight into sustainable communities professions. Fourteen is a critical age at which to inform young people about career options so they can make early decisions about their future."

Research carried out by the academy last year unveiled significant skills and labour shortages across professions such as planning, landscape architecture and urban design (R&R, 14 September 2007, p2). Birtwell says: "As a sector, we must work together to encourage young people to enter these kind of professions. We can only achieve this by widening entry-level routes."

Yet despite industry goodwill, the C&BE diploma has not proved as popular as anticipated.Gooderson says this could be down to a combination of factors. "In the first year of any initiative, there is always some nervousness," he says. "Parents are asking whether it will be viewed as a credible qualification." The economic climate and a downturn in the construction industry in particular may have had a negative effect, he adds.

But Gooderson says that higher education establishments are warming to the new qualifications. "Even the redbrick universities are now showing support," he says. Their initial reluctance has been largely attributed to university application processing body Ucas's relatively late decision in December 2007 to give the advanced diploma - the second stage of the diploma - the same university entry points status as three-and-a-half A-levels. This decision, in theory at least, legitimises the diploma as a route into higher education.

Some encouragement can also be gained from the fact that, from September 2009, 79 universities will be involved in local diploma partnerships - public-private partnerships overseeing the qualifications. A number of key professional institutions, including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Institution of Civil Engineers, have also publicly pledged their support.

At present, there are 276 employers involved. Student numbers are expected to grow to 8,000 over the next few years, according to Gooderson, and the challenge will be to deliver a corresponding boost to employer engagement. On that front, the diploma's backers can take comfort from the success of a publicity campaign launched by Construction Skills earlier this year. Following the campaign, the number of employers jumped from 70 to around 250, according to Government figures. In theory, school leavers will be far better prepared for employment and have the motivation to make quick progress in the sector.

As with any new initiative, there is some scepticism about whether it will stay the course. But the Government has certainly put its weight behind the qualifications by committing itself to making all diplomas available to all pupils by 2012. It is early days, but the C&BE diploma could have a massive impact on skill levels in the sector and the education system.