Involvement and retention of Britain’s minority groups in the construction workforce is difficult because the sector is perceived as too manual and not academic enough.
That is one of the conclusions of the report Construction and Black and Minority Ethnics (BMEs) from the University of Salford’s School of the Built Environment.
Given the skills shortages, now and in the future, involving as many skilled people as possible is essential, the report says. The construction sector employs more than two million people in the UK, making it the largest sector by employment. But the sector is overwhelmingly white, around 98%, compared with 92% average in all sectors. Just over 2% of the construction workforce is BME
The report, an investigation into lack of BMEs in construction in the North West, suggests that familial support is not there for those younger people who would otherwise consider a career in construction. There is also a belief by BMEs that the sector is more focussed on profit at the expense of people. What support is forthcoming, is usually determined by how productive a person is.
The report’s authors will be making recommendations to government bodies for policies strategies and guidelines to improve the take-up and retention of BMEs in the sector.
The Salford study is based on questionnaires received from 229 undergraduates in construction-related programmes, 105 construction employees and interviews with 11 company directors HR managers, academics in seven higher education programmes plus career advisors from the University of Salford and Manchester Metropolitan University.
Source
Building Sustainable Design
