How Built Environment Education Should Be

The Garenne Construction Group (GCG) consists of 13 trading companies across Jersey, Guernsey, and the UK.

CEO Marc Burton is responsible for ten trading construction companies across the Channel Islands, has been involved with developing and promoting careers through his involvement with the Jersey Construction Council (JeCC) for over ten years. This is his DEC story…

In Jersey, the construction industry has always been seen as the industry for the unskilled and less-educated and being male-dominated. Led by Marc, the GCG Strategy has been to holistically grow skills and enhance the pipeline of talent to provide greater on-island skills for the future whilst addressing industry and community issues.

There is currently around 10% of the working population employed within construction in Jersey. With the Government looking to invest in significant infrastructure projects including a new Island hospital, social housing, redevelopment of the Ports, there is going to be a huge opportunity for a career in construction.

During his time on the JeCC Education Sub-Committee, Marc had been responsible for producing a Construction Skills Strategy where one of the prime objectives was to promote careers in construction in local schools.

In 2017, whilst working on the tender for the new hospital with UK partner Sir Robert McAlpine, Marc met Alison Watson. Alison had developed the Design Engineer Construct! (“DEC”) Learning Programme, which seemed to be the perfect model that would fit, particularly through GCG adopting a school.

Through GCG’s ongoing relationship with the Government’s Education Department, Marc developed the idea with Skills Jersey and agreed that the GCG would Adopt a School to trial a pilot DEC programme.

The key to the programme was the involvement of GCG’s staff participating in lessons and ensuring students had opportunities to experience practical application of classroom learning.

The DEC programme has been a great success. Design Engineer Construct! is the first-ever vocational course to get on the GoJ curriculum with Levels 1 and 2 recognised as equivalent to a GCSE and Level 3, equivalent to an A-Level with full UCAS points.

There are over 400 students studying DEC across five of the nine secondary schools in Jersey plus the island’s FE College. DEC has led to the “earn whilst you learn” pathway to study on-Island.

In conjunction with Le Rocquier School and Skills Jersey, GCG produced the video in this case study, which provides evidence of the success of the staff and pupils.

The DEC programme works alongside several initiatives that GCG offer, including:

• Graduate schemes
• Apprenticeship schemes
• Mentoring schemes
• Investing in staff through sponsoring further education
• Careers fairs
• Enhanced policies and procedures around mental health, diversity, inclusion, and career pathways to ensure they promote continuous improvement throughout the Group
• Ongoing Health and Safety initiatives through education

GCG are proud of all their initiatives to encourage young people to consider a career in construction. The perception is changing, particularly through the partnership with Government bodies which continues to shape the pathway to Construction.

GCG are investing in their people of the future as they believe there will be significant opportunities in the next 5-10 years, and they want to ensure they continue to employ locally. The war on talent and the traditional skills gap is being addressed strategically to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the island plan and they continue to change the perception of working in the industry to become inclusive, diverse, and rewarding.

The DEC programme has grown significantly from being a single pilot school in September 2018 to five out of nine of secondary schools offering DEC Awards, Level 1 and Level 2 and Highlands FE College and Hautlieu Sixth Form College delivering Level 3.

The achievement is best summed up by David Roworth – Director, Digital, Vocational & Technical Skills for Skills Jersey, who describes the partnership:

“..as positive, which continues to inspire our school children to develop skills and understanding for a career in this industry. Bringing together specialist professionals who willingly give their time and resources to work alongside teachers. It allows learners to connect their classroom curriculum studies to practical application with real-life projects in their community, and to see that there are so many opportunities to be a future specialist in the built environment industry.”

There are around 150 different roles within GCG, from traditional trades – plumbers, electricians and stonemasons, through to construction managers, engineers, BIM programmers and CAD designers, accountants, HR specialists and marketers.

GCG have been working hard to ensure they can provide meaningful careers and progression opportunities that provide job security and satisfaction, but they are mindful that they need to excite future generations about the industry. As technology continues to develop, it will bring more innovative techniques and materials to ensure that buildings are smarter, more sustainable and more efficient, whilst making the industry a safer and more exciting place to work.

In May 2021, GCG were finalists in the Constructing Excellence ‘People Development SECBE Award’ category

About the People Development Award:
People are our greatest asset and this award recognises organisations that appreciate and nurture their workforce to ensure they maximise the value of everyone’s contribution to the business. By creating inclusive workplaces which support people of all abilities through training initiatives, education, mentoring, support networks and innovative programmes, companies can demonstrate a significant impact on the future of their businesses and the wider construction industry.

In December 2021, the Jersey Case Study earned Class Of Your Own a shortlist place in the Better Society Awards ‘National Commitment to Skills & Training’

About the National Commitment to Skills & Training Award:
The Better Society Awards reward commercial companies who are helping create a better, more equal, ethical and sustainable world for all. The skills and training award is for companies that have helped communities across the country, actively aiding and communities in national programmes. The judges look beyond financial support to consider how an organisation’s resources have been deployed to create long-lasting impact.