About Us

Built Environment Skills in Schools aims to bring employers, educators and young people together to tackle the skills shortage in construction, and ultimately grow a sector that builds the best it possibly can, for individuals, communities, the environment and all our futures.

We provide activities, training, workshops, information and consultancy to:

  • help young people understand the product of the built environment, and why their opinions matter;
  • help educators with labour market information for careers in a rapidly changing sector; and
  • help all construction employers to engage better and more often with schools and colleges

Live projects include site visits, planning discussions, consultations, design meetings, community engagement, asset register collation, 3D augmentation development, helping to remove some preconceptions of ‘dirty’, unskilled work by demonstrating breadth. This will work towards an improved image of the industry, and increased capability in the workforce.

Click here to download a copy of the full Built Environment Skills in Schools document Proposal for a Built Environment Programme v3 (requires Adobe Reader)

Built Environment Skills in Schools is intentionally independent of any one commercial business, and neutral regarding specific disciplines of the sector, working completely cross-platform.

Using proven outreach and behaviour change techniques, BESS works across the entire Built Environment spectrum to influence greater interest, ownership and involvement in the sector.

BESS was formed by Kathryn Lennon Johnson in 2015.

To find out more about the BESS programme and the problems we are attempting to solve, please view the attached documents below:

Putting Students in Control of their Career Information

What is the Real Problem within the Skills Shortage

BESS – A Presentation to the Construction Industry Council AGM