Identifying barriers to the employment of young people classified as not in education, employment or training within the construction sector

This dissertation was written as part of an MSc in Construction Project management and explores the barriers that employers can face if they are looking to recruit from this group.

[edit] Abstract

The construction industry is facing a skills crisis that goes back to the 1980’s and this could potentially be exacerbate by the vote to leave the European Union. To address this, industry must consider who it recruits and how it attracts new talent. This dissertation explores the opportunity of recruiting young people classified as Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), as a possible pool of new entrants.

The research produced findings that indicate industry is open to recruiting from this pool, and feels it is able to support a number of the factors identified as being indicators of the risk of becoming NEET. A number of barriers have been identified through the research and would require addressing in order to increase the possibilities of this group gaining access to the industry. These include the negative connotations with the term NEET, employer expectations on new entrants, the lack of resources available to small and medium enterprises and microbusinesses to support individuals with complex personal issues, and the perception and promotion of the industry to this group, as well to young people overall.

The conclusion recommends further research into these areas to identify actions that could increase interest from this group, and enhance their chances of successful employment in construction.

Download the full dissertation as a pdf.

--Steve Sugden 17:02, 26 Jun 2020 (BST)