Finalists – Best FE Provider Supporting Careers in Construction — Why They Stood Out
Building the Future Awards
The Best Further Education (FE) Provider Supporting Careers in Construction category celebrates institutions shaping the next generation of construction professionals through innovation, inclusivity, and excellence in teaching. This year’s finalists — Leeds College of Building, Birmingham Metropolitan College, and South & City College Birmingham — are driving transformation in skills, sustainability, and social mobility. Here’s why they stood out.
Leeds College of Building (LCB)
The UK’s only specialist construction college, building skills, careers, and communities
Established in 1960, Leeds College of Building (LCB) remains the UK’s only college dedicated exclusively to construction education. Over its 65-year history, it has trained more than 100,000 students, providing a critical skills pipeline for the industry. With programmes from entry level to degree-level and strong employer links, LCB stands as a cornerstone of national construction training and a driver of regional economic growth.
Inspiring the next generation
LCB has a rich history of student success in national competitions, including multiple SkillBuild gold, silver, and bronze medals, as well as accolades in painting and decorating, roofing, brickwork, and timber trades. These achievements help students build confidence, enhance employability, and raise the profile of construction careers. The college’s outreach programmes inspire young people from diverse backgrounds to see construction as a viable, rewarding career path.
Closing the skills gap and promoting sustainability
Through its Sustainable Building Services faculty, LCB leads in green construction training, offering programmes in heat pumps, low-carbon heating, and EV charging infrastructure. It also partners with Topps Tiles to tackle the national shortage of tilers — one of only two colleges nationally to do so. With flexible evening and retraining options, LCB supports adult learners entering the green economy, contributing £6.6 million annually to regional economic growth.
Industry collaboration and real-world experience
Partnerships with employers such as BAM, JN Bentley, and SES Engineering Services ensure that students are “work-ready” upon graduation. The Construction Crafts department works with more than 500 SME employers, giving apprentices real project experience in trades from roofing to joinery. Further partnerships — including with Manningham Housing Association and Equans — provide taster days, retrofit courses, and community engagement opportunities.
Why they stood out
Leeds College of Building has cemented its reputation as the national leader in construction education — a college that not only builds skills but transforms lives. By integrating sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation into its teaching, LCB delivers both economic and social impact, preparing students for meaningful, long-term careers in construction.
Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet)
Equipping tomorrow’s workforce with skills for a digital and sustainable construction future
Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet) serves as a beacon of opportunity across the West Midlands. With campuses including James Watt College, Sutton Coldfield College, and Erdington Skills Centre, it offers pathways from entry-level training to higher education — and a curriculum deeply informed by industry.
Inspiring future professionals
BMet’s construction department blends academic rigour with real-world experience. Learners participate in site visits, employer-set briefs, and national competitions such as Super Trowel, ensuring they graduate not only qualified but job-ready. Students experience multi-trade “gateway” courses covering brickwork, carpentry, plastering, and health and safety — an innovative model that ensures broad understanding before trade specialisation.
Addressing the skills gap through innovation
BMet delivers apprenticeships and adult retraining in key trades — from bricklaying and groundworks to gas and property maintenance — aligned to West Midlands Combined Authority priorities. Short courses and bespoke employer programmes, such as partnerships with Careys and British Gypsum, address immediate labour shortages. Digital skills are embedded into every course, with facilities featuring BIM suites, 3D modelling, and a Metaverse learning zone that allows students to explore virtual construction environments safely.
Real-world application and partnerships
The college’s partnerships with leading contractors — including Willmott Dixon, Galliford Try, Interserve, and Birmingham City Council — connect learners directly with apprenticeship and employment opportunities. Collaborative projects, such as student-built staging for the new James Watt lecture theatre, give tangible, pride-filled experience that demonstrates quality and craftsmanship.
Why they stood out
BMet has redefined what modern construction education looks like. Through its integration of technology, hands-on experience, and inclusive engagement with diverse learners, the college ensures Birmingham’s future workforce is both skilled and inspired. Its approach bridges the gap between classroom learning and the industry’s digital, sustainable future.
South & City College Birmingham
Innovation, inclusion, and energy-efficient education for the next generation
As the largest further education provider within the West Midlands Combined Authority, South & City College Birmingham is shaping the regional construction workforce through cutting-edge facilities and forward-thinking leadership. With eight sites across six localities, it offers construction learners unparalleled access to practical training, employer engagement, and career progression.
Inspiring early engagement and lifelong learning
South & City is pioneering outreach to primary school students, embedding construction awareness before career decisions are made. Activities such as model building, design challenges, and interactive demonstrations introduce young learners to construction in engaging, age-appropriate ways. The college also holds career fairs, mock interviews, and is piloting a reverse jobs fair where students showcase their talents directly to employers.
Bridging the skills gap with green innovation
At its Bordesley Green campus, students train on two full-scale houses — one traditional, one modern — both fitted with green technologies like ground-source and air-source heat pumps and solar installations. These facilities are used to teach retrofit and low-carbon technologies, positioning South & City as a leader in sustainable construction education. Staff have been upskilled in retrofit technologies, and new courses are being developed under the Local Skills Improvement Fund.
Collaboration and community partnerships
The college’s partnerships stretch from Topps Tiles (boosting tiling apprenticeships) to Birmingham City Council, where joint initiatives are addressing regional skills shortages and creating new employment pipelines. Collaborations with EasySlabber, CITB, and other industry partners provide workshops, demonstrations, and hands-on experience for learners. These efforts are supported by proactive leaders like Rebecca Waterfield and Tracy Kerr, whose commitment to innovation and employer engagement has become a model for the region.
Why they stood out
South & City College Birmingham exemplifies what it means to be responsive, innovative, and industry-connected. Its pioneering sustainability projects, commitment to early engagement, and dynamic partnerships make it a powerhouse in addressing both local and national skills challenges — and a true inspiration for the future of construction education.
Final word
Together, these finalists showcase the transformative power of education in construction. Whether through sustainability and inclusion (Leeds College of Building), digital innovation and real-world experience (BMet), or community-driven collaboration (South & City College Birmingham), each is ensuring that the next generation of builders, designers, and leaders are equipped to shape a more resilient and sustainable built environment.