On course for disaster?

President of the CIOB Professor John Bale is so concerned about the dwindling number of undergraduates that he is calling an emergency summit with the pro-vice chancellors of all institutions offering construction courses.

The quality of students is also on the wane. Many institutions are accepting students onto construction management courses with three Es at A-level. And more than 90% of students who apply to built environment courses are accepted now, compared to about 50% five years ago.

Cause for alarm

Graham Watts, chief executive of the Construction Industry Council, says the statistics are alarming. "The quantity and quality of students is dropping off, which is really worrying. What is needed is a more concerted effort by universities and professional bodies."

CIOB chief executive Chris Blythe says it is the job of employers to encourage more students into construction. "Professional bodies and universities are one remove from what's going on. The drive has to come from employers, otherwise they can't complain if they aren't getting the right people."

Blythe dismisses concern about low entry standards to construction courses. "There's a lot of snobbery about the standards for getting on to construction courses. I got two Es at A-level and it didn't do me much harm. We need hard workers in construction more than anything. Prima donnas can go and do accountancy or law, in construction we need people who will get stuck in." Jennie Price, chief executive of the Construction Confederation, echoes Blythe's comments. "A-levels are only a snapshot of abilities at a certain time. Academic qualifications are not the be all and end all. But we do need well-educated and inventive people in the industry."

Stephen Mortimer, pro-vice chancellor at the University of Luton, suggested in the September issue of Construction Manager that Prince William should study construction management at the University of Luton. But with ABC, he would be over-qualified for a course that accepts three Es for a degree course.

Mortimer makes no appologies for the entry requirement. "If you are running a medicine or vet's degree you can ask for three As at A-level. If you asked for that with construction management, there would be no course to run."

It's not just a question of economics for the universities, he says. "Universities are acting on government social inclusion directives which aim to have 30% of all 18-year-olds going to university. It's not about 'bums on seats', it's the political agenda set by the government," he says.

Mortimer says the construction industry needs to do more to bolster student numbers: "Making construction a more attractive career choice for 17-year-olds is an issue for the industry, not universities."

University challenge

Price maintains that although the industry has a role to play, universities must do their part as well. "Universities who have clear, vibrant links with industry will turn out better quality graduates. With some construction courses lasting up to four years, it is important to have that link with industry for the student when they graduate."

Top universities such as Salford, Loughborough and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology have links with leading contractors such as Bovis, AMEC, Carillion, Laing, Willmott Dixon and Kvaerner. It is an arrangement that works well, according to Chrissie Chadney, head of personnel training and development for Willmott Dixon. Chadney says developing relationships with universities is a key way of identifying good graduates. "We tend to get the best students from the universities we have relationships with. A personal recommendation from a head of department speaks volumes to us."

Chadney says she actively seeks out graduates from good universities. "Last year I started using the Higher Education Funding Council's league tables to see where the best graduates were coming from. However, somewhere like Anglia Polytechnic University doesn't figure very high, but we've had some good graduates from there."

Whoever is ultimately responsible for increasing student numbers in construction, it is clear that education, industry and the professional bodies must find a solution soon, before the crisis is beyond repair.