Skanska UK participates in programme to tackle the under-representation of young Black men in construction
Young Black men face some of the highest unemployment rates in London at 33% and make up just 4% of young men in construction.
Skanska UK, along with The Equal Group and other construction companies, has been participating in a programme to get more 18-24-year old Black men into construction.
The six-month programme has been coordinated by the Greater London Authority (GLA) as part of the Mayor of London’s strategy for social integration.
Recently a three-day recruitment event took place to showcase Skanska, and other companies, and advertise the Emerging Talent opportunities and career pathways in construction.
Speaking at the event, Isaac Mboyo, 27, who works at London’s Barts Hospital as part of the facilities services team and is currently being sponsored by Skanska towards his Building Services Engineering NVQ Level 3, said:
“These types of events are very important in terms of raising awareness of the opportunities with companies like Skanska.
“It can be difficult for young Black men to get into these trades because they often don’t have that existing connection. A lot of them don’t have family members already working in these companies so they don’t get exposure to the construction industry itself.
“I’ve been given the option, not only to study towards a qualification, but I’m also getting a career out of it. This is an excellent opportunity for me and events like this are really important because they make more people aware of the opportunities that are open to them.”
Career pathway
Two of Skanska UK’s project directors and programme co-sponsors, Ian Valentine and Mike Wells also spoke at the event.
Ian said: “There was an incredible amount of engagement throughout the programme and enthusiasm to learn more about construction as a varied and exciting career pathway. It has been a very beneficial experience for everyone involved.”
Mike added: “This programme is just one of many initiatives underway to help us tackle the skills shortage currently being experienced across the construction sector by giving us better access to the widest possible pool of talent.”
Find out more about the programme here.
