Construction Ambassador Duties

In order to counter the projected shortfall of workers within the construction
industry, the CITB-ConstructionSkills has sponsored the creation and training of
Construction Ambassadors. The aim is for Construction Ambassadors to promote the
industry to young persons within schools and colleges, so as to raise awareness of
the benefits and possibilities within the industry.
In November 2007 Landscape Architect Alistair Bayford completed his Construction
Ambassador training for CITB-ConstructionSkills.

In terms of becoming a Construction Ambassador, the requirement is to be working
within a relevant position and to have the desire and motivation to promote the
industry to young persons.

Promoting takes the form of talks, tasks and challenges, and usually operates around
the requirements of the situation. For instance, in a primary school environment it
is more appropriate to focus on a fun task based on construction (such as bridge
building) whereas in colleges it is more practical to have an informative talk about
specific roles and responsibilities.

From my personal experience, I can confirm that the initial training received has
been extremely beneficial, and not only instills confidence in personal ability but
also a sense of pride in relation to the construction industry.

To date I have completed three activity days within schools and colleges in Essex.
One day was spent at Sawyers Hall College in Brentwood participating in a Built
Environment Activity designed to awaken young people's minds on how to plan and
create the towns in which we live. The students worked in teams carrying out
activities in planning an eco-town, planning a housing zone and integrating
sustainability. Students then produced a wall display to communicate their ideas,
drawing plans and elevations of houses, creating their own town identity and then
presenting ideas to a panel and their peers.

The Construction Ambassador program is a great way to get those within the industry
to give others exposure of what it has to offer. All too often construction is not
thought of as a career but as a job, and yet when there is so much on offer in terms
of work satisfaction and diversity, construction should be at the fore of any
careers advice.