Even with excellent A level results, many school leavers are still struggling to navigate the best route towards a career in construction, writes Oscar Sitwell - and two industry veterans, Mark Farmer and Colin Wood, offer some advice
A few weeks ago, I posted a simple question on LinkedIn: “What more can an 18-year-old with straight As at A level do to earn a place on a degree apprenticeship in the built environment?” I did not expect what happened next.
Over 30,000 views; dozens of comments; hundreds of direct messages. Some were from CEOs, senior partners and recruiters offering advice and encouragement, which still blows my mind. But what surprised me most were the quiet ones – students like me and even parents – messaging privately because they were too shy to comment publicly.
It made me realise how many of us want to understand this industry and how to get in to it, but don’t know where to start.
I have just finished my A levels. Every late night, early morning and summer job was about building a profile strong enough to stand out. None of those jobs were glamorous or directly linked to construction, but they taught me discipline, teamwork, communication – and that hard work always matters.
Still, even with top grades, work experience and a clear passion for this industry, there is only so much you can do at 18 to get on the radar of the big recruiters.
The industry is full of knowledge and opportunity, but it is not always shared in a way that students can relate to. We are reading the articles, we are watching the webinars. But, too often, it feels like a different language
After my post went viral, my inbox filled with questions I have been asking myself for months: with AI taking jobs everywhere, is construction a secure career? Can someone explain the different types of surveying and the careers they lead to? Is it worth going into debt for a degree when an apprenticeship could get me there faster?
And those acronyms – RICS, MEP, MMC, BIM – which ones really matter when you are starting out?
I wish I had the answers. The truth is, trying to figure it all out online usually drops you into a maze of jargon, policy talk and technical terms that are hard to make sense of when you are just beginning your journey.
What became clear is that the industry is full of knowledge and opportunity, but it is not always shared in a way that students can relate to. We are reading the articles, we are watching the webinars. But, too often, it feels like a different language.
What is missing are relatable voices, people who can break down complex ideas and make them inspiring and easy to understand.
One of the best things about that post was the incredible advice I received from professionals. Three themes came up again and again.
The first was to build a personal brand. “Be visible”, one senior recruiter told me. Not in a fake or forced way, but by sharing my journey and showing up: posting on LinkedIn, going to networking events, asking questions… Showing that I am curious, hardworking and serious. Being present makes you memorable, even at 18.
The second piece of advice was to get real-world experience. Grades are great, but they are only one part of the picture. Every job, no matter how small, builds skills that matter like communication, problem-solving or resilience. And, if I can find ways to get on-site, shadow a surveyor, or volunteer in a role that gives me insight into the industry, then I should take it. Employers notice people who put themselves out there.
The third was to go beyond the CV. A CV is just a piece of paper. What stands out is a portfolio — even if it is school projects, independent research, or examples of how you are engaging with the industry.
If construction truly wants young people to see the opportunity here, it needs to show up differently. Not with buzzwords or corporate slides, but with real, human stories
I have also been told to get comfortable with the tools shaping the future, like AI, BIM and estimating software. And to meet decision-makers in person wherever possible, because a five-minute conversation at an event can be worth more than a dozen online applications.
When I tell people that I want to become a quantity surveyor, I still get mixed reactions. Some say, “But you’re a top student, you could go into banking or law,” as if choosing construction is settling for less. Others look at me blankly and ask, “What even is a QS?”
And that is part of the problem. Outside the industry, so few people really understand how versatile, creative, innovative and future-focused construction is.
This industry builds more than structures. It builds communities. It shapes how we live and work. It is about solving complex problems, driving sustainability and designing better spaces for people.
That is exciting to me. Why would I want to spend my life staring at spreadsheets when I could be part of something that builds the future?
If construction truly wants young people to see the opportunity here, it needs to show up differently. Not with buzzwords or corporate slides, but with real, human stories – stories that explain the pride, creativity and purpose that come with the work.
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I came across a story that really stayed with me. A retired electrician called Frank visited his granddaughter’s school. He didn’t use jargon or complex terms. He told the kids what it was like to keep the lights on in a hospital during a snowstorm, how it felt to solve problems in the dark, and why trades like his really matter.
The kids leaned forward. They asked questions. You could see how engaged they were. That is exactly what we need – more Franks, more Sallies from urban planning, more professionals willing to share their stories in schools, at events, or even on social media, to show us why this work is so important.
For now, I am taking a gap year before applying for a degree apprenticeship in September 2026. It’s not a year off. I am volunteering in Peru, Argentina, Brazil and Indonesia – helping to build schools, supporting projects in favelas, and learning first-hand how construction works in different places.
It is going to be hard work, but the lessons I will gain – about people, about problem-solving, about the role construction plays in communities – will be worth far more than a textbook.
I am taking all this advice and putting it into action: building my brand; gaining more experience; doing whatever it takes to earn my place in this industry. One story can spark a career. I have shared mine. Whose story will inspire the next person?
So, we asked two industry experts to read Oscar’s column and share their thoughts…
Mark Farmer, founder and board executive, Cast Consultancy, writes:
Oscar’s dilemma highlights some important challenges for our industry regarding nurturing and securing our future talent pipeline. At a time when both government and industry are making lots of noise about overcoming the “skills crisis”, we need to be much more honest about the structural issues which hold us back and which will ultimately derail any attempt to build future capacity in the industry.
Firstly, the cyclicality of our industry’s workload continues to be an Achilles’ heel for long-term investment in skills, training and most importantly, employment. The significant fall in construction output since 2022 has dampened appetite to employ, even more so in the traineeship, apprenticeship and graduate cohorts.
We are currently seeing an over-supply of graduates who are failing to find employment and this is a much broader issue for the economy and the employment market than just the built environment sector. It suggests there is a question increasingly being raised by employers over the ability to take raw graduates and integrate them into the practical working environment quickly and productively and also by young people increasingly seeing the “earn while you lean” route as preferrable to being saddled with student debt for no perceived long-term benefit.
There is also a very live debate in the professional services sector about the core skills required as technology starts to rapidly augment or replace parts of what entry level resources would historically have done.
There are not enough opportunities, and even intelligent, high-aptitude talent is being left behind by the industry
This all means that competition for apprenticeships is fierce. The brutal reality is that the immediate skills crisis and workforce gap we have is for experienced and skilled professionals and tradespeople. Capacity to take on trainees, even with skills and growth levy or CITB levy support, is not sufficient to allow the industry to “pump prime” its recovery by expanding its capacity ahead of growth.
Of course, attitudes vary between employers, both big and small, but the net result is that there are not enough opportunities, and even intelligent, high-aptitude talent is being left behind by the industry.
What we are now seeing in professional services apprenticeships has in reality been seen in trade apprenticeships for years, with up to 2/3 attrition levels between young people doing post-16 construction related courses and the final number ending up in qualified long-term employment in the industry.
Oscar’s recent Linkedin post and the response to it generated a lot of valuable feedback. This is a complex conundrum which spans the industry’s cyclicality and employment sustainability problem alongside broader debates about the relative value of graduates versus apprentices and the role of AI in the future of professional work. We need to create a narrative that is genuine and deliverable, underpinned by an ability to define exactly what competencies we need from aspiring built environment professionals – and then back that up with routes to employment-led training in the sector.
Oscar’s resilient attitude is what shines through here: a willingness to improve himself through life experience beyond his excellent academic results and to constructively challenge the sector to improve its side of the bargain to school leavers.
Colin Wood, partner and managing director, EthosEQ, writes:
When I was 18, I had no idea what a quantity surveyor was. I studied geography at university, thinking I would end up in a completely different field.
After I graduated, I knew I wanted to go into surveying, but I didn’t even appreciate there were different types. I wrote off to a few “surveying” firms and one replied saying they were developing a conversion master’s degree in construction cost engineering to become a QS. In the absence of any other offer, that is what I decided to do! It was a part-time block release course at the University of Reading, which I loved.
I have huge respect for anyone like Oscar who is already clear about wanting to join this industry at such a young age. But I also know from experience that the path is rarely straightforward.
The truth is that construction is not a closed shop – but it can feel like one. The language is full of acronyms, the career routes are not always obvious, and opportunities do not come neatly packaged.
Rejections are not the end – they are part of the process. Each one gives you feedback and resilience, both of which employers value as much as grades
My advice is not to be discouraged if the door does not open straight away. Keep knocking, keep showing up, and keep learning.
Three things made a difference for me, and I think they hold true today. First, persistence. Rejections are not the end – they are part of the process. Each one gives you feedback and resilience, both of which employers value as much as grades. My first boss, for example, told me that quantity surveying was not for me!
Second, curiosity. Don’t just look at the apprenticeship as the goal; explore the industry in as many ways as you can. Read about projects, ask people questions, attend events. The more you understand how the pieces fit together – design, cost, engineering, sustainability – the more you will see where you can add value.
Third, relationships. Every step in my career has been helped by people who believed in me. Build your network early – not in a transactional way, but by being genuinely interested, reliable and open to opportunities. One conversation can change everything.
Finally, remember that no one path is perfect. I did not grow up wanting to be a QS, but I have built a career I love in an industry that shapes the world around us. If you keep your focus, work hard and stay open-minded, the route you take will be the right one for you.
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