Cian was 17, studying his A levels at college and unsure what to do next when he was directed towards our Pathways programme. He’d always been a hands-on learner so knew university wasn’t for him and wanted to explore alternative opportunities to kickstart his career. Although he didn’t have any prior experience of the industry, he was interested in construction because it offered a practical career pathway, so he signed up for our intensive 1-1 programme to discover more.

Once registered, Cian was matched with a CYT coach who walked him through alternative options to university such as apprenticeships and worked with him to develop his employability skills through mock interviews and CV writing workshops. He was connected to a range of inspirational industry volunteers through an Apprentice Q&A session – taking particular interest in a young plumbing apprentice who spoke to Cian about his journey of leaving university to take on an apprenticeship instead. This reassured Cian that he could achieve his goals without going to university which motivated him to seek out apprenticeship pathways.

We connected Cian to a five-day work experience placement with one of our employer partners who provided him with first-hand experience of the workplace so he could see what sort of roles he might be interested in, and a clear insight into the reality of being on site. Cian divided his time between different departments, shadowing site engineers, project managers and labourers. He was inspired by the more senior roles but felt that labouring would be an excellent way to start his journey in the industry and get his foot in the door to gain more experience and progress.

The host employer liked Cian so much they paid for him to gain his Level 1 Health and Safety qualification and CSCS card and put him in touch with one of their subcontractors who had a labouring vacancy available. Cian was invited along to interview and was immediately offered the job. He has been working on site for a few weeks now and is excelling in his role!

Construction Youth Trust works in local communities across London and North Kent, targeting areas with a high proportion of low-income households and significant construction and regeneration.

Our Pathways to Professional Careers programme supports students (aged 16-18) interested in pursuing professional pathways, with a priority focus on those from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented groups. Research shows that young people from well-off backgrounds are 80% more likely to be in a professional job. Pathways aims to level the apprenticeship playing field, helping young people overcome barriers and access rewarding higher-level and degree apprenticeship opportunities and professional careers.