Building momentum: Why it is up to us to inspire the next generation

By Elliot Smith and Dan Lewis 2025-07-02T06:00:00

Government funding is obviously important but it is only by going into schools, mentoring potential recruits and making practical experience more widely available alongside formal education that the construction industry will change perceptions and open up the sector to the talent of the future

With £600m pledged to train 60,000 workers by 2029, the construction industry has a chance to close its widening skills gap. But funding alone is not enough, and real change must come from within.

Dan Lewis, construction director at The Momentum Group, heading up Momentum Build, has built his career through hands-on training and now champions industry outreach, teaching students about careers in construction. He was joined by Elliot Smith, a university student and trainee quantity surveyor at The Momentum Group, who blends academic learning with practical site experience.

Together, they discussed why the sector itself must generate the momentum for change.

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