Would you encourage your child to train to be a construction worker?

[rickyrickygrimes]

Just listening to a podcast about the lack of construction workers in the uk being a major issue in the (lack of) housing crisis. The Federation of Master Builders reckon they need at least 250,000 new construction workers by 2028 to have even the slightest hope of meeting government targets (and to plug the huge gap caused by Brexit) but the government has only provided funding to support the training of 60,000 new builders.

anyone out there got a child who’s training in this kind of job? Or a DH who’s further down the line? Has it been a good career for him? Anyone teaching or training young people for these kinds of roles?

I don’t know anyone who is encouraging their child to take on this kind of skilled manual worker role. My nephew had previously said he didn’t want go to uni and wanted to be an electrician, but he’s recently changed his mind and wants to study business of some sort. My own 14 yr old has expressed an interest in construction / project management. He’s clever, more than capable of uni, so I’ll be encouraging him down the academic route. I guess I’m wondering where these 250,000 people at going to come from, to train for what has to be a pretty hard physical job.

@Shedmistress - thanks so much

DS is 14 so just considering his career options and I won’t be encouraging him to go anywhere near the construction industry. Reading this thread has made me sit and think about why.

First, as many have said above the health concerns and the general conditions, out in all weathers, I don’t want DS to have to retire at 50 with the body of a 70 year old then have to find something else.

Second, the industry isn’t as stable as everyone thinks I’ve seen several big crashes with boom and bust and plenty of laid off construction workers, closed shops and very much a not what you know attitude on sites.

Third (and I know this doesn’t apply to all) DH deals with construction trainees and they aren’t the greatest and have a real reverse snobbery attitude to anyone brighter than they are. I just don’t want DS in that world. I also think that carries through to sites and the bullying will be rife.

I am generally sceptical about apprenticeships as a whole, yes good for getting a job, but they ask kids to specialise at 16, most have no idea what they want to do at 16 and then they fall into an apprenticeship and are then stuck. At some point later down the line you also are going to hit a ceiling without a degree and not be able to get any further, by then it’s probably too late.

There’s also this, a commercial bricklaying machine, so maybe not a job for life https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6s17IAj-XpU

I run a small firm of 20 guys and take on an apprentice a year
when they arrive they are always very green
one who has been with me a couple of years has done his day release college and is now taking home £500 a week at 18years old
as a trade it normally takes 10years before having the confidence to get over anything anywhere however everyday is a school day
by the time trades are 50 most have gone sideways into management or set up on their own
it can be good for someone that wants to get on