Can built environment education keep up with a changing industry?
As part of Reinvention 2026, a campaign for change in partnership with Northumbria University and University of the Built Environment, Building hosted a roundtable discussion to escalate the conversation.
The roundtable took place in central London in March
As tensions grow between the rapidly evolving industry and slower moving, traditional education systems, we are advocating for a more accessible, collaborative and work based model of education that attracts, trains and maintains a skilled workforce.
At the heart of the debate was a simple but provocative question: are traditional, single discipline academic routes still fit for purpose?
Attendees represented a range of voices from practice, academia and training
Chair: Thomas Lane, technical editor, Building
Aled Williams, pro vice chancellor, innovation and partnerships, University of the Built Environment
Caroline Sudworth, lead, Technical Apprenticeships Consortium
Clayton Knevitt, board director and head of learning and development, Rolton
Emma Barnes, head of impact, Construction Youth Trust
Izzy Williams, associate learning and development lead, Ryder Architecture
Liz Male, founder, Liz Male Consulting
Peter Barker, consultant, Ryder Architecture
Peter Sofoluke, director, BPTW
Paul Sperring, associate director, Cundall
Rian Lamb, senior technical co-ordinator, Barratt London
Susan Dawson, associate professor, and lead for educational partnerships, Northumbria University
Many teachers still think construction is just bricklaying and manual work. We’re not explaining the amazing diversity of career options in the sector and the stepping stones clearly enough.
We need around 250,000 new entrants by 2030, and a large proportion of those are technical roles. But we have both an attraction issue and an absorption issue.
We value people being able to make professional judgments. That’s something traditional degrees haven’t always been able to develop. Exposure to different disciplines makes you more aware of how others think and where collaboration can improve outcomes.
Give employers confidence to invest. Employers are willing to help, as evidenced by the apprenticeship Trailblazer system instigated by Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education [IfATE – now part of Skills England] of which Ryder and other employers have been a key component.
The bottom line was clear: improving built environment education will require a coordinated approach with early engagement from educators, employers and policy makers, and practical action.
The group identified eight next steps, including creation of a joined up skills system, stabilising policy, and embedding and expanding placements in education.
Read the full feature in Building.
We are calling for employers and educators to invest in this transformative approach by making the job opportunities available and by adopting and delivering this apprenticeship. To join the conversation, make a commitment and have a positive impact on the future of the built environment, please contact reinvention@ryderarchitecture.com.