Hopkins Homes partners with West Suffolk College
We’re excited to be working with West Suffolk College through the Partner a College scheme — a national pilot led by the Home Builders Federation and funded by the Construction Industry Training Board, as part of the wider Home Building Sector Skills Plan.
This two-year initiative is designed to ensure students leave college equipped with the practical, job-ready skills that modern housebuilders are looking for.
So, why is this partnership so vital to the future of our industry?
Read on to discover the aims of the scheme and why joining Partner a College was a natural step for us.
Creating the next generation of housebuilders
Skills shortage – a phrase we’re hearing more and more often, as concern grows that while one generation heads toward retirement, the next seem reluctant to take their place.
And it is not just construction that is feeling the effects of an aging workforce. Manufacturing, engineering, and logistics are all facing a similar crisis.
Which is why the work of the Home Builders Federation is so essential in tackling the issue, working hard to not only get young people interested in a construction career, but giving them the right tools and qualifications to go about it.
According to the HBF, the home building sector faces a significant skills shortage, with an estimated 239,000 additional workers needed over the next five years to meet Government housing targets.
Equally startling is the fact that less than 40 per cent of students embarking on a construction course currently enter the sector.
Industry and education must work together to drive change – it’s one of the most effective ways to strengthen the sector, nurture talent and build the skills needed to move the industry forward and deliver the quality, new homes that this country needs.
This two-year pilot scheme is designed to increase the number of ‘work-ready’ students. How? By facilitating more effective collaboration between home builders and further education colleges across the UK, which is why we had to be involved.
The programme will:
- Combine curriculum content with real-world site demands
- Ensure students gain the practical, job-ready skills
We will:
- Help shape and refine course content
- Provide industry experts to deliver employer-led masterclasses and support workshop sessions
- Host site visits and work placements
- Provide mentorship and real-world insights
We are proud to be a part of this collaborative model, as it aims to bridge the gap between education and employment and better equip students with the skills and experiences employers value.
We hope this project will become part of a much-needed culture shift that will also encourage more young women into construction. We strongly believe there is a need for gender parity and hope plenty of young women will see the amazing and varied careers construction can offer and discover how West Suffolk College can support them.
We look forward to working with the students, watching them learn and grow and becoming the future foundation of the industry.