Wrexham University Backs Calls For More People To Join The Construction Industry

Wrexham Glyndwr University has backed a campaign urging more people to lay foundations in a career in construction. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Welsh construction industry is set to grow at nearly triple the UK average, with more than 27,000 jobs expected to be created in the coming five years, according to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wrexham Glyndwr University, which offers a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, is encouraging those who are interested in starting a career in the industry to visit the university’s open day on Saturday, August 20th from 10am-2pm. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dave Cheesbrough, Construction Management programme leader at Wrexham Glyndwr University, emphasised that the UK needs more qualified construction managers as there is a lack of chartered practitioners in the industry. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He said: “The Welsh Government has identified a need for greater numbers of qualified construction managers in Wales. The university is therefore helping to fill this skills gap in North Wales, and in the North West of England. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“North East Wales has a thriving construction industry and we’re encouraging anyone interested in developing a career in construction to join our BSc (Hons) course.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The CITB has also launched Go Construct, an awareness campaign to encourage more people to consider a career in construction. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The BSc Construction Management degree, available full-time or part-time, is fully accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and affiliated to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sarah Morgan, a part-time estate agent in Ruthin and Denbigh, decided to study BSc Construction Management in Wrexham to change career direction. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She said: “I applied for the course to expand my knowledge of the construction process and broaden my transferable skills for career progression.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The course allows people, with and without practical experience, to understand all construction methods, and also incorporates encompassing aspects such as environmental, economic and managerial processes which provides a holistic understanding of the entire process.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To gain insight and experience of working in the industry Wrexham Glyndwr University students visited HMP Berwyn which is currently under construction. The project is being undertaken by contractors Lendlease and more than 800 local workers are currently employed on the site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rita Patel Miller, community engagement and training manager of Lendlease, has commended the “close working relationship and support between LendLease and Wrexham Glyndwr University’s Built Environment courses”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​