Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram joined 300 young people at an industry-led homebuilding event aimed at inspiring the next generation of talent
Build Your Future 2026: Find Your Place in Homebuilding brought together more than 20 home builders, supply chain and subcontractor organisations to showcase homebuilding career opportunities across the sector.
The event highlighted how Liverpool City Region Careers Hub, The Careers & Enterprise Company, Home Builders Federation (HBF), National House Building Council (NHBC) and industry partners are working together to deliver modern work experience.
Steve Rotheram commented: “We’ve got big ambitions for housing and regeneration across our region, and we need to make sure local people have the skills and opportunities to be part of that future.
“That’s why bringing schools and employers together is so important. Giving young people the chance to get stuck in, meet people working in the industry and see what different careers are really like can open doors they might never have considered.”
The growing need for a strong homebuilding workforce
The event took place as the homebuilding industry faces significant workforce challenges, with growing demand for skilled workers and an ageing workforce.
More than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs are supported for every 10,000 additional homes built, according to the Home Builders Federation, with bricklayers, groundworkers, plant operatives and plumbers among the occupations in particular demand.
Research from the Construction Industry Training Board also highlights that 20-25% of the current workforce are aged 50 or over and are therefore approaching retirement, underscoring the need to attract more young people into the sector and strengthen pathways into construction careers.
Encouraging young people into homebuilding careers
Delivered by All About Futures in partnership with the Liverpool City Region Careers Hub, HBF, NHBC and industry partners, the event involved more than 20 organisations and over 40 industry volunteers.
From architecture and engineering to construction, planning, sustainability and project management, students discovered that building homes and communities involves much more than bricks and mortar.
It also supports the wider ambition to tackle barriers facing young people as they move from education into employment, an issue highlighted by Milburn’s forthcoming report on the challenges facing young people who are not in education, employment or training.
“It is important that we continue to attract the next generation into the home building industry and help young people understand the breadth of rewarding career opportunities available to them,” said Andy George, director of industry attraction and skills, The Home Builders Federation
“Events like Build Your Future provide a valuable opportunity for students to meet employers, gain practical experience and explore career paths they may not have previously considered.
John Yarham, CEO, The Careers & Enterprise Company, added: “Modern work experience is about giving every young person the chance to meet employers, explore different careers and discover where their skills and interests could take them.
“Build Your Future is a fantastic example of what can happen when employers, schools and Careers Hubs work together to bring an industry to life and open young people’s eyes to opportunities they might never have considered.”
