Employers join Barnet and Southgate College to shape the future construction workforce
Barnet and Southgate College has brought employers and education leaders together for the second meeting of the Electrical and Construction Training Alliance (ETCA), helping to shape how young people develop the skills, behaviours and confidence they need to succeed in industry.
The College welcomed 32 participants, including seven employers, representatives from the Greater London Authority (GLA) and all London CTEC Subregional leads.
Building on the first ETCA meeting, the group focused on an important question: what does a truly work-ready learner look like?
Putting employer needs at the heart of learning
Employers shared their experiences of recruiting young people and highlighted the qualities they value most.
Reliability, good timekeeping and health and safety awareness were identified as essential. Teamwork, professional behaviour, independent learning and having the confidence to challenge unsafe working practices were also highlighted as important skills for anyone preparing to enter the construction industry.
Learning from industry
The meeting also heard about the Build Academy, an employer-designed programme where learners experience an industrial working environment followed by a curriculum shaped by industry. Last year, all 20 learners on the programme progressed to either an apprenticeship or full-time employment. The current cohort has grown to 30 learners, all of whom have already completed work placements.
Working together to create opportunities
The attendance of all London CTEC Subregional leads reflects the growing interest in the collaborative approach being developed through the ETCA.
The work has the potential to support employer-led training across areas including electrical engineering, plumbing and HVAC, flooring and trade supervision.
For Barnet and Southgate College, the ETCA is another important step towards creating a curriculum that responds to the needs of employers while opening up meaningful career opportunities for young Londoners. The College will continue working with ETCA members ahead of future meetings planned for 2027, maintaining the momentum and strengthening links between education, employers and London’s construction sector.
