Lets diversify by changing culture and challenging stereotypes: a case study from professional construction higher education programmes

Abstract

The UK construction sector is not diverse and is reputed to be dangerous, dirty, physically demanding and non-professional. Young people often regard construction jobs as a last resort. Yet there is a growing skills shortage that needs to attract greater diversity of applicants. The aim of the BRIDGE (Building Routes Into Degrees with Greater Equality) project was to improve the number and diversity of entrants to professional construction higher education programmes. An in-depth assessment of the current situation informed a theory of change, and identified seven interrelated themes to tackle this. This case study is focused on the recruitment theme. Using action research, imagery/wording used in student recruitment was updated and staff undertook equality, diversity and inclusion training. The findings demonstrate the positive effective of these interventions. For example, on one target programme, the percentage of female students increased from 8% in 2016 to 23% in 2017.

Effects of educational mismatch on wages across industry and occupations: sectoral comparison

“…Under-education has a higher incidence in construction sector for the 3 occupational levels. This may derive from the stereotype of low educational requirements that exists in this sector (Strachan et al ., 2020) and which may cause the labour supply that is aimed at this sector to have a lower average level of qualification.…”