Lee Rowley MP, Minister for Construction, visited Constructionarium with James to see the next generation of Built Environment employees turning theory into practice.
Constructionarium, a not-for-profit organisation, was established to address a skills gap for graduates entering the industry with no site experience and professionals who lack practical application, it now sees in excess of 800 students a year and has a portfolio of large scaled replicas of iconic projects (such as The Gherkin, Millau Cable Bridge, Barcelona Tower) which are constructed in a week and provides real context to the learning undertaken at college and university and turning theory into practice.
The Minister said the UK needs a multi-disciplinary approach if it is to stay competitive and deliver a workforce that can meet the government’s priority of decarbonising the Built Environment at speed:
“The Constructionarium is an inspiring facility which shares our priorities on providing skills and experience to those entering a trade. With demand high, there has never been a better time to consider a career in construction. This industry has a vital role to play in helping our economy grow and it is through initiatives such as Constructionarium that we can ensure the next generation of people entering the workforce have the skills to improve the sector in the coming decades.’
During the visit hosted by Julia Stevens, CEO of Constructionarium they met students from the University of Salford who, working in teams, were hard at work constructing a 30ft version of Ove Arup’s Kingsgate Footbridge (which spans the River Wear in Durham from the University to the town) and a scaled replica of the Millennium Gallery based in Sheffield.
James said:
“Constructionarium is an exemplar organisation which has listened to the needs of the industry, academia and government and is taking proactive steps to move the dial on the net zero agenda. It was great to have the construction minister in West Norfolk to see the training facilities here to help the next generation gain valuable experience.”
The pair of MPs were invited by Constructionarium to see the site in action and to discuss their plans for developing their site into a multi-disciplinary training facility.
Keith Clarke, Chairman, and the party discussed the urgent need for decarbonising the industry at all levels, individuals having the skills to deal with the digitalisation the industry is pushing for, and how these can be implemented safely on the wider construction sites – not just the mega projects being undertaken. Constructionarium’s offering will enable the likes of EDF to take innovative approaches to support its East Anglia project at Sizewell with local recruitment, training, and skills development.
Guy Hazlehurst, Workforce Development Lead for Sizewell C, commented that the
“Constructionarium facility is very impressive and inspirational for young people and new entrants coming into the industry and those seeking a career change. It’s foresight to move to a multi-disciplinary approach will resonate with the needs of the sector going forward.”
The 19-acre bespoke training facility is based within the CITB National Construction College at Bircham Newton and works closely with Constructionarium.
Tim Balcon, CEO of CITB, said
“Constructionarium helps to bring the excitement of the construction sector to students and that’s why we are pleased to host it at our National Construction College (NCC) campus in Bircham Newton. The event enabled wider discussions about what CITB are doing to create better outcomes for construction employers across Britain.”
