Most students in construction courses leave industry after completing training

The majority (60%) of students enrolled in further education (FE) construction courses leave the industry shortly after finishing their training, according to new research by the Home Builders Federation (HBF).

The data also revealed that 25% of FE learners go on to a career in housebuilding within six months of finishing their course.

Titled ‘A Hard Hat to Fill’, the report published yesterday focuses on entry and training opportunities within the home building industry.

Its research revealed that despite 100,000 students being enrolled in FE construction courses at any one time, the training provided does not produce ‘work-ready potential recruits.’

The report said that students completing FE courses struggle to find housebuilding jobs because they are “simply not at the level employers need them to be such that they are useful in the workplace”.

According to the HBF, FE courses are ‘not fit for purpose’ due to a “distinct lack of focus on practical skills and too much time spent on non-vocational, non-construction related areas”, and that time spent developing practical skills is “minimal” as FE courses require 16 hours of attendance a week.

The HBF has called on the government to properly fund and resource FE colleges and restructure and reform FE courses to emphasise the development of practical skills to achieve housebuilding targets.

According to the membership body’s research, 240,000 new recruits are needed per year as 30,000 new workers are needed for every 10,00 new homes the industry builds.