A sector hidden in plain sight
Terry Watts, CEO, Chartered Surveyors Training Trust
IMAGINE the scene, one I suspect not too unfamiliar to many members of CICES. It is dark, cold and raining. You arrive at your local school’s annual careers event to talk about your job. There are three possible reasons why you got to this point:
- You were persuaded by your son/ daughter’s form teacher to support the school, much to the horror of your child.
- The boss at work was persuaded by some outreach from the school PTA (or possibly their child’s form teacher) to come and support the school; they didn’t want to do it so they sent you.
- You are involved in the community outreach for the project you are working on and school visits are required as part of the contract.
Then you realise that the prospect of speaking to groups of teenagers is far more daunting than giving a presentation at work. How do you make surveying stand out to teachers and parents, as well as students who have already written you off as ‘oh, that’s construction’ or someone who sells houses.
On the other hand, if you are feeling good about your presentation, then maybe you are wondering how you leave something behind that will do some of the hard work of raising the profile of your sector when you have left?
This is where My Environment My Future (MEMF) steps in.
Before they rush to start on the journey to becoming future members of CICES, young people need to understand the bigger picture. Many of them will be fascinated by the technology and impact you can have, but many more will want to know the context.
Young people today are far more focussed on the state of the environment, the future of the places and people, where they live and making affordable educational choices for their careers earlier than previous generations and perhaps many established professionals will realise.
How do you make surveying stand out to teachers and parents, as well as students who have already written you off?
It was concerning when we measured that less than 6% of young people are considering following a career in a sector that already employs 3.2 million people (around 11% of the UK workforce) and offers roles in a diverse range of over 170 different jobs.
Plus, is working to reduce its environmental impact and the 42% of all greenhouse gas emission that it is responsible for.
Students, as well as many teachers and parents advising the next generation, typically have little knowledge of careers in the built environment. They don’t know about the technological revolution beginning to happen in the sector and the new and emerging roles available. How can they? They wrap the whole sector up with construction and that means bricklaying, plumbing, maybe architecture, but also physical work, project delays and politics. In short an outdated view, which is why we use the more accurate name; the built environment.
MEMF
MEMF is a free schools programme which embeds knowledge, resources and guidance on careers within the built environment directly into the delivery of the GCSE and A-level geography curriculum. It is designed to be delivered by geography teachers, in the classroom as they teach the core urban environments and changing places modules, with no training required and minimal effort.
Our target is to reach every one of the 4,178 secondary schools in the UK to ensure the built environment is able to find the passionate, skilled and enthusiastic people it needs, from all sectors of our society to reflect those who will use the built environment we create.
The programme, created in collaboration between teachers and industry professionals, meets the specifications for all major UK awarding bodies and includes lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, worksheets and curated industry resources to complement the delivery of the curriculum. Alongside the classroom activity there is a nationwide competition challenging students to redesign a local building or space, taking in to consideration sustainability, the designs, practical solutions and the needs of the local community. We ask students in three age groups (years 7-9, 10-11 and 12-13 ) to prepare a video, poster or presentation explaining their plans and award cash prizes to the winners.
So how can MEMF help?
- We have partnered with CICES to support engagement with schools and to promote CICES activities to the 572 registered teachers in around 300 schools we already work with.
- We offer extra support for businesses providing career talks. Our career presentation gives an overview of the sector, targeting secondary students and above, providing information on careers within the wider built environment. The presentation is designed to be personalised to your own career path and used when speaking to classes, assemblies or other groups of young people. Additionally, our school briefing sheet, which we advise everyone from the industry to review before visiting schools, helps prevent misunderstandings and emphasises safe guarding practices.
- If you are looking to engage with schools and desire a change from typical career talks, consider hosting a workshop to launch the MEMF school competition. This competition provides an excellent platform to contextualise your job, share advice and highlight the impact of the built environment on sustainability and society. After the workshop, students can independently continue their competition entries as homework or an extra-curricular activity and enter a nationwide competition with the chance to win prizes. We will provide all necessary supporting material for the workshop.
- Maintaining consistent engagement between the industry and schools can be time-consuming and require significant effort from both parties. Introducing the MEMF programme can provide teachers with a resource that inspires students about sector careers, even in your absence and brings career education directly into the classroom. Moreover, the programme helps schools meet the Gatsby Benchmarks 4, 5, and 6, which are key Ofsted targets.
- We aim to elevate the profile of the built environment sector and its constituent companies. Videos, flyers and case studies that you or your organisation have created to showcase your achievements can be integrated into the MEMF resources. By mapping these materials to the curriculum, we can help them reach a larger and broader audience.
- MEMF and CSTT are working to signpost the next steps for students wanting to find out more about a career within the built environment and create a pipeline of talent in to the sector. We sign post to work experience, workshops, summer schools as well as for teachers who want more in-depth information, schools activity or access to qualifications relating to the built environment.
Our target is that MEMF reaches every one of the 4,178 secondary schools in the UK to ensure the built environment is able to find the passionate, skilled and enthusiastic people it needs, from all sectors of our society to reflect those who will use the built environment we create. In a world where the educational focus is on narrow academic results and unlike most other sectors, it values practical problem-solving and leadership skills as much as data analysis, technological expertise, design, engineering and management. We have a compelling offer to attract top talent, encouraging them to actively seek out our sector, rather than stumble upon it later.
MEMF is a schools programme offered at no cost, but hopefully it is also a tool to arm everyone who wants to share the exciting prospects of careers in the built environment to young people through schools engagement. In a world where many careers are under threat from artificial intelligence (AI), we can offer a growing range of options in a sector that will have possibly the largest impact on the sustainability of our world.
In the best scenarios, introducing MEMF and the competition will help you and your company engage effectively with schools to your mutual benefit over the long term. We have MEMF students who have gone on to study RICS approved courses at college and university, started apprenticeships and benefited from work experience and site visits. Perhaps MEMF is how you will find your next generation of professionals? To find out more about MEMF and the competition, visit the website, encourage any contacts you have in schools or working with young people to have a look and register.
Terry Watts, CEO, Chartered Surveyors Training Trust