A construction industry charitable funder has pledged to continue to support a social mobility programme that has already helped 400 young people into a career in the sector.

The Construction Workers Charitable Trust has committed to further fund the Pathways programme, which is run by charity the Construction Youth Trust

The programme aims to connect young people from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups with training, work experience and engagement with employers in the sector, including Sir Robert McAlpine, and Hill Group.

Since 2011 the Trust has awarded more than £160,000 to the charity, with the involvement of more than 200 industry volunteers.

“Nearly a million young people are currently disconnected from education or work, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds face disproportionately higher barriers to opportunity,” said Construction Workers Charitable Trust head Nicola Sinclair.

“For industries like construction and the built environment, which face long-term skills shortages, the answer lies in high quality, employer led pathways that prioritise long-term career progression.

She added: “By investing time in meaningful training and high-level qualifications, young people can be supported into sustainable careers that they remain committed to.


"Construction Youth Trust’s Pathways programme demonstrates the value of walking alongside individuals throughout their journey, helping them build skills and confidence to carve out clear career trajectories.

“Crucially, getting young people into stable work early also enables them to start saving into a workplace pension, allowing them to start building strong financial foundations for life.”

Among young people supported is Martell, who took part in site visits with employers and secured a site management apprenticeship place with Hill Group.

Construction Youth Trust chief executive Carol Lynch said the funding “has made such a significant difference, enabling us to support many more disadvantaged young people to access careers and opportunities in the construction industry they may otherwise have missed out on”.

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