I started looking into the UK construction industry’s 140,000 unfilled vacancies expecting the usual workforce shortage story.
What I found was worse. By 2032, that gap hits nearly 1 million workers. The workforce is aging out faster than young talent enters. 35% of construction workers are over 50. Only 20% are under 30.
Then I came across St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School in St Helens.
They built something worth examining.
The Partnership Mechanics
The school launched a GCSE-equivalent qualification in Construction and the Built Environment through a partnership with VINCI Building, the contractor managing St Helens’ town regeneration. VINCI didn’t just donate equipment or give a talk at career day.
They contributed to curriculum design.
They facilitated resource acquisition from Knauf Insulation UK, providing industry-standard materials and tools. Students learn ceiling installation, airless spray plastering, and insulation board placement using the same equipment professionals use on active job sites on real projects.
The school also invested in a new all-weather bricklaying yard.
Here’s what caught my attention: students aren’t learning from textbooks. They’re installing ceilings, spray plastering walls, placing insulation boards. Same tools. Same techniques. Same standards as the real sites.
Why This Matters
Only 5% of students actively think about construction careers. Only 19% of parents would encourage it.
The perception problem runs deep. Most people see construction as manual labor. They miss the technical skill modern building requires.
Direct exposure changes that. Students work with professionals and see what the job actually requires.
The Retention Question
Traditional apprenticeships fail 50% of participants. Half don’t finish.
I asked why St Cuthbert’s model might work differently.
The answer is timing. Students learn the basics before committing to apprenticeships. They’ve already done the work. They know what they’re signing up for.
Fewer surprises. Fewer dropouts.
The Economic Layer
The partnership connects St Cuthbert’s, VINCI, and St Helens Borough Council in a way that multiplies impact.
VINCI’s broader St Helens regeneration will create up to 485 new jobs and generate £23.2 million in Gross Value Added annually. The construction program creates a talent pipeline to fill those positions with local workers trained through public education.
Public money funds regeneration. Regeneration funds construction. Construction funds education. Education builds workforce capacity.
The model links three systems that usually operate separately: schools, jobs, infrastructure.
What Makes It Work
I kept asking what makes this replicable beyond St Helens.
The answer is aligned incentives. Schools get better job outcomes. Contractors get workers. Government gets economic growth. Everyone wins when the incentives point the same direction.
But here’s the critical piece: VINCI stays involved. They don’t write a check and disappear. Active participation, not passive sponsorship.
Infrastructure projects create temporary jobs. Education partnerships create permanent pipelines.
That difference matters.