Construction and Built Environment Task Group
Construction and the built environment is a significant industry in East Sussex. With many small businesses and sole traders, jobs are 46% above the national average for the working population.
The Construction Task Group meets quarterly to champion employability and skills for this sector and coordinate activities and support the strategic priorities of Skills & Employment East Sussex. Built environment is also represented in this group.
The group sets a strategic plan annually in September, to drive forward partnership activities.
The group includes local employers such as:
- GM Monk
- Cheesmur Building Contractors Ltd
- OHM Energy
- Hawes Building Contractors
Other members include national construction employers, especially when they have building contracts in East Sussex, such as
- Morgan Sindall
- Balfour Beatty
- Jacobs
- Wilmott Dixon
- Volker Fitzpatrick
Education and training representatives and other stakeholders include:
- East Sussex College Group
- Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)
- University of Brighton
- Employment and skills departments of the local authorities.
- DWP Job Centre
The task group is chaired by Scott Monk of GM Monk Ltd, an electrical contractor company.
Chair Scott Monk, Director of GM Monk Ltd
The task group is vital to ensure the current and future challenges of skills and training in construction are represented at a local level for employers, training providers and other agencies. By working together, the task group has become stronger in identifying these needs and working to overcome the challenges. One of the main reasons I enjoy chairing this group is the communication, sharing of best practice and ideas the different employers in Construction bring to the table to assist training providers and the local councils/other agencies with their future training and skills development plans.
2025/26 Strategic Plan activities
| Partnership activities | |
|---|---|
| 1. Raise profile of careers in the sector (young people, job seekers, returners – note parents as key), including diversity | National bodies - use and share their resources, access support and expertise of CITB, NFRC and others, where appropriate. |
| Utilise Careers Hub opportunities e.g. open doors, CPD, work experience. | |
| Attend events and careers fairs, e.g. Big Futures. | |
| Produce job pathway videos and posters to promote the sector. | |
| Oversight and delivery of activities in the Retrofit Skills Plan phase 2 action plan (including profile raising activities with schools and others, and free courses for the sector. | |
| Mapping project to identify sizeable development sites (commercial and residential) across the county, with the aim of being able to engage early in employment and skills/Section 106 conversations with developers and operators. | |
| Showcase 'back office' roles (e.g. surveyor, etc.) to widen the appeal of construction. Initiative could include links to Careers Leaders CPD. | |
| 2. Help industry to engage with education/ training provision to inform curriculum/ respond to industry need | Develop and deliver pilot industry-led after school club in Eastbourne. |
| Increase employer/education engagement opportunities, through the Careers Hub, Job Centre and other providers. | |
| Deliver Modern Work Experience pilot open doors - showcasing linked pathway on different roles in construction. | |
| Publicise T Level work experience as an opportunity for students to try the sector. | |
| 3. Curriculum and Training Programmes | Develop a roofing apprenticeship programme for delivery in East Sussex via East Sussex College, looking at opportunities for Skills Bootcamps and bitesized training. |
| Support the delivery of Skills Bootcamps, particularly those related to construction - providing intelligence, opportunities and support. Utilising networks to promote the programme. | |
| Look at opportunities for learning/training on AI in construction for the sector. | |
| 4. Widening the net of recruitment | Support the delivery of the Connect to Work programme, providing opportunities and support for those looking for employment. |
| CITB Industry Impact Fund bid to support widening the net focus. | |
| Support opportunities for Connect to Work as a pathway into apprenticeships. | |
| Increase the number of construction companies (e.g. modular builders) engaging with the task group, Careers Hub, Connect to Work, Skills Bootcamps, and other services. | |
| Ensure those on Sussex frameworks are invited to the task group. |
Construction Task Group meetings
Contact Skills & Employment East Sussex if you are a sector employer, training or education provider and want details. Other than your time, and occasional travel, there are no costs to joining Skills East Sussex meetings.
The next meeting of the group is on 5 March 2026.
We use an action tracker instead of traditional minutes. The action tracker includes ongoing actions, decisions, the task groups strategic plan, and attendees/apologies.
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Construction TG action tracker November 2025 [420.1 KB] [XLSX]
Construction TG action tracker November 2025
If you have difficulties viewing or accessing these documents, or require the information in a different format please contact the Skills & Employment East Sussex Team.
Task group achievements
- Developed a bid and coordinated a partnership Retrofit strategy and activities via funding secured from DESNZ and Public Health. Offering free retrofit training and resources for construction businesses, council officers, housing associations and job centres, careers campaign in schools, recruitment of tutors and new Level 3 training.
- Development of a Tutor Encounters event for the construction and engineering/ advanced manufacturing sectors - delivered in July 2023, enabling schools careers leads, teachers and college tutors to better understand the future needs of the sector and network with businesses through workshops, practical demonstrations and learning sessions.
- Job role videos created showcasing construction roles on the East Sussex Careers Hub website
- Delivery of a ‘design a flyer’ competition with 16 – 18 students to promote apprenticeships in construction to the sector
- Endorsement of a University of Brighton bid. The bid secured £100K for development of degree level construction apprenticeships.
- Key work with Sussex Council of Training Providers (SCTP) to support engagement between business and education. This informed co-design of the curriculum and recruitment of tutors from industry
- Representing the construction sector at careers/apprenticeships event annually, including the East Sussex Apprenticeship Graduation ceremonies, Big Futures and East Sussex Apprenticeship Roadshows.
- Supporting the Primary and Secondary Careers Hubs through the Enterprise Adviser Network, Industry Champions and Open Doors workplace visit programme. Read more about the Careers Hub