World Youth Skills Day
Today marks World Youth Skills Day, a global initiative established by the United Nations to highlight the urgent need to equip young people with the skills required to succeed in the modern world of work.
As industries face complex challenges like rapid digital transformation and unpredictable climate change, the need to invest in the skills of the next generation has never been more critical.
In construction, this responsibility carries particular weight. We must address a growing skills gap in our sector while also ensuring that young people entering the workforce are prepared to support the delivery of a sustainable built environment.
At G&T, both aims are embedded in our social value objectives, reflecting our commitment to people and planet alike.
Skills for a Sustainable Skyline
According to the City of London Corporation, London will require an estimated 26,000 additional built environment workers by 2026 to meet its sustainability goals. On this World Youth Skills Day, we’re reflecting on how we’re helping to develop young people’s skills to contribute to this target.
One key initiative is our involvement in the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce, which plays a crucial role in shaping the future workforce. Since 2022, we have been a member of the taskforce, an initiative led by the City of London Corporation. The taskforce aims to achieve two key goals:
- Securing a net-zero carbon future
- closing the green skills gap within the built environment sector
Our involvement in the taskforce demonstrates our belief in practical and inclusive action. We are committed to helping young people find fulfilling careers in the construction industry while supporting the transition to a greener and more resilient future.
The Skyline Skills Hub: A Platform for Progress
To support this mission, the City of London Corporation has launched the Skyline Skills Hub, a new platform designed to develop green skills and connect individuals with opportunities in sustainable construction. The hub’s content is based on findings from the taskforce which highlight the importance of offering young people, in addition to professionals from all backgrounds, the chance to develop their skills in a sustainability context.
The Skyline Skills Hub offers a wide range of support including detailed career guidance, case studies from across the industry, up to date research on green skills and best practice for professional development. It provides opportunities for people to retrain or build on existing knowledge in areas that are crucial for sustainable growth. Employers and policymakers will also find practical guidance on how to attract, train and retain new talent. By bringing these groups together, the hub creates a shared space to support the delivery of sustainable buildings across London.
A Focus on Youth and Opportunity
Although the Skyline Skills Hub is designed to benefit a broad audience, it offers specific value for young people who are just beginning to explore careers which could be available to them in the built environment sector. On this World Youth Skills Day, we are proud to highlight how the hub can help young people access the tools they need to succeed.
The platform offers clear information about a wide range of careers including electricians, surveyors, solar panel installers, HVAC technicians, construction managers, architects, town planners and interior installers. Each profile explains what the job involves, how it contributes to environmental goals, what qualifications are needed and what progression looks like through apprenticeships, college or university study.
Importantly, the hub also shows how these roles support the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy. For example, solar panel installers play a vital role in reducing emissions through renewable energy, while surveyors offer advice on how developments can be made more sustainable.
At G&T, we remain fully committed to supporting the next generation of professionals. Through our continued collaboration with the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce and our support for the Skyline Skills Hub, we are helping to build a future workforce that is ready to meet the challenges of a changing world and deliver a more sustainable built environment.
Find out more about how we're working on issues that matter by exploring our Business with Purpose framework.