Recommendation 61

While much of the historical discussion on construction skills focused on the quantity of workers, the Committee also heard that the quality of skills education is also a challenge. 94 Sam Egan, Group Director of Construction at the Bedford College Group, said that some construction employers have complained that some students are not ‘site ready’ after their education. 95 We were told that construction education does not provide a good picture of what a career in the sector is like in practice, frustrating learners and employers. 96 For example, we heard that bricklaying is primarily taught indoors, but Ms Egan said that “in real life it is cold outside”. 97 She told us that this is partially due to a lack of funding leading to poorer facilities and fewer hands-on experiences. 98