At CIOB, we encourage our members to play an active role in engaging with the next generation of professionals, whether by presenting at schools, mentoring or hosting site visits.

This is an ethos that we’re keen to show in our own work within CIOB.

Last month, I and HR Business Partner Claire MacLennan partnered with social mobility charity Speakers for Schools to present three sessions to Berkshire secondary school Charters School in Sunningdale, introducing students to the role of a professional body, and explaining how CIOB works with Members, government, and other stakeholders to improve the built environment. 

Speakers for Schools connects state schools and colleges with employers to provide students with access to work experience and inspirational talks that will help them to reach their full career potential. 

We presented three sessions, including two in the school and one in our main office in Bracknell.

During the first visit, we explained what a professional body is, what the teams we have within CIOB do, who the members we work with are, and some of the roles they sit in. Laurence Pateman MCIOB also joined us to talk about his career. 

During the second session, students were given a tour of CIOB’s office and heard from four staff members - Sponsorship Manager Nicola James, Project Manager Atif Baig, Technical Support Engineer Mo Bangura, and Head of Finance Claire Andrews - about their roles and career journeys.

It’s important for professionals across all industries to take time out to educate and inspire the next generation, Atif says.

“Sharing my own journey - the highs and lows, the unexpected turns and the challenges of balancing personal and professional life is something I believe can really resonate with young people as they begin to consider their own future paths,” he says. “It's not about presenting a perfect story, but about being open, honest and relatable, and showing that success can come in many different forms. These kinds of initiatives are a brilliant way to open doors, raise aspirations and help students see what’s possible.”

We also introduced the concept of skills gaps in the industry and introduced my role. We then gave them a chance to step into my shoes by setting them the task of looking at how they would inspire other 14-19-year-olds to consider a career in the built environment.

During the final session back at the school, Acting Apprenticeship Quality and Audit Compliance Lead Sandra Pankhurst explained what apprenticeships are, and how they work. We also looked at soft skills, asking them to identify skills they had which could then be used as part of their CV and to help lead them to a career.

“During the session I explained what an apprenticeship is, and we explored the different types of apprenticeships that are available – currently over 900 across a vast range of different roles and sectors,” Sandra says. “I supplied them with guidance on how to become an apprentice, and the differences between apprenticeships or attending college or university once they’d completed their exams.

“They gained an understanding of how they would learn if they chose completing an apprenticeship as their career option and I gave an outline of the different elements that constitute a programme (Occupational Standard) along with how they are assessed both during and at the end of an apprenticeship.” 

CIOB construction ambassadors 

There are multiple opportunities for CIOB Members and Fellows who are also interested in engaging with the next generation.

For those in the UK & Northern Ireland, CIOB has partnered with STEM Learning, enabling our members to sign up as CIOB Construction Ambassadors. STEM provides a well-established platform for connecting with schools and colleges, a funded DBS process, induction training and over 200 Construction and Built Environment resources for most secondary and FE college learners.

Through the platform, ambassadors can offer their time and set their preferred level of involvement. Educators then post requests for one of the volunteers via the online platform.

For those outside of the UK & Northern Ireland, you can contact us to support your engagement and make use of our resources, including the Think Construction toolkit, when visiting local schools and colleges.

Aspire 

We've also launching CIOB Aspire, a new category aimed at inspiring and supporting those aged 14-19 to take their first steps into the construction industry and towards becoming a CIOB member. 

Whilst we are making progress in supporting our members with resources needed to reach those aged 14-19 years old, we recognise that there is more that we can do to engage with individuals under 18 who can’t yet come into membership. Additionally, there is also a need to support parents, careers advisors and teachers. 

The new digital space, consisting of a range of online resources aimed at students and influencers, launched last week.