We’re tackling the skills gap with Build Academy — a new pilot programme created by the FMB, CITB, and Shooters Hill Sixth Form College to give young people the practical skills and experience they need to start a career in construction.
The initiative connects learners with real SME building firms, offering hands-on experience and helping them become site-ready from day one. To make this happen, we’re asking London builders to get involved by offering work placements, mentoring, or sharing your expertise with the next generation of tradespeople.
Recently, members of the FMB London Board visited the Build Academy to meet the 20 learners taking part in the pilot scheme. They shared practical advice about life on site, the opportunities and rewards of a career in construction, and the realities of working in small, professional building teams.
What is Build Academy?
- Build Academy is a unique pilot scheme put together by FMB, CITB and Shooters Hill Sixth Form College to address the skills shortage.
- 20 learners are onsite learning multi trade, site ready skills from a curriculum put together by FMB members. Having the FMB membership create the curriculum means learners gain skills relevant to employment with SMEs enabling to be more effective apprentices and an asset to any team.
- Every learner will benefit from work placements with SME employers to get a feel for the SME sector and how to work as part of a team. We are looking for FMB members in London to provide further work placements.
- The goal of the project is to place our 20 learners into full term employment as apprentices with SMEs by July 2026.
First impressions from an FMB member
'The Build Academy takes promising young adults and gives them a hands-on introduction to the basic trades in an environment that mirrors a working day on site as opposed to a day in college. This is designed to address the needs of small building companies by making the students work-ready and better qualified to choose the right apprenticeship for them.
'The FMB London board held its board meeting last week at Build Academy so we could see how it was going.
'First impressions were great - I arrived as some students were working outside practising skirting board corners. They immediately said hello and were working together and obviously enjoying what they were doing.
'Inside they have built room pods from stud work to practise building up walls, plastering, tiling and fitting out bathrooms. 3 of the students had just plastered a wall together and it wasn’t a bad first attempt.
'The centre tutor sets a brilliant example with an enthusiastic no-nonsense approach. You can really see how students who may not have been suited to a classroom environment are really excelling and developing much needed skills to make themselves useful to a smaller companies.
'We have had 5 students on work experience over the last 3 weeks and all were able to make real contributions and to see real projects in action. We will be looking to take on a student who is a good fit for our company in the New Year and I would encourage others to do the same!'
Roly Woodward
Managing Director, Roland Woodward Ltd
Why are the FMB taking action on skills?
Our latest State of Trade survey revealed that 61% of firms are struggling to find skilled tradespeople. A recent FMB survey found that 53% of respondents wouldn’t encourage their children to take up a career in construction. Without people coming into the industry we simply don’t have an industry.
How can I get involved?
If you could be interested in supporting the project with time, materials, knowledge or offering a work placement get in touch: tompeardon@fmb.org.uk
Our learners are up for tackling the skills challenge. Are you?
Authors
Tom Peardon
Tom represents the London membership of the FMB championing their interests to key industry stakeholders in London and providing a support to the membership.
Tom has eighteen years of experience working commercially in construction media including fifteen years on the CIOB publications Construction Management and BIMplus. Tom has also worked on the Architects’ Journal, the Architectural Review and the Association for Project Safety publication the Project Safety Journal.
Tom holds a degree in English and Philosophy from the University of Roehampton.
