During his tour of the innovative 19-acre facility, Brian witnessed students collaborating on scaled-down versions of iconic structures, including a replica of London's famous "Gherkin" skyscraper.

The site offers a simulated construction environment where participants can safely experience the challenges of real-world building projects, from foundation work to structural assembly, under expert supervision.

This hands-on approach bridges the crucial gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application that many traditional education programs struggle to address.

The visit highlights the sector's escalating skills crisis, with recent industry figures showing over 35,000 construction job vacancies nationwide.

More than half of these positions remain unfilled due to skills shortages – the highest rate of any UK economic sector.

The construction industry must recruit at least 250,000 new workers to meet growth projections and replace its rapidly aging workforce, and if the Government is to meet its ambitious housing targets.

The FMB’s State of Trade Survey for Q4 2024 revealed that as many as 42% of small, local builders reported delayed jobs due to a lack of skilled labour. This comes at a time when the UK faces a housing crisis, with the Government aiming to build 1.5 million new homes.

FMB CEO Brian Berry said: "What I've seen at Constructionarium perfectly illustrates what our industry desperately needs – training that prepares people for modern construction.

“Our latest FMB State of Trade Survey shows that 33% of our members struggle to recruit bricklayers, while 37% cannot find the carpenters and joiners they need. These aren't just statistics – they represent real projects delayed, homes not built, and businesses unable to grow. If we don't act decisively on skills development now, the UK's ambitious housing and infrastructure goals will remain an unrealistic aspiration.

“The skills gap isn't just holding back individual businesses – it's undermining our collective ability to build the homes, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure this country urgently needs. Facilities like Constructionarium exemplify the innovative approaches we need to champion across the country."

The visit coincided with Constructionarium's latest partnership with the University of Southampton – bringing together university students, educators, and industry professionals for immersive construction experiences designed to inspire and develop the next generation of construction talent. Later in the year, the site will welcome students as far away as Texas.

The FMB is calling for a three-pronged approach to address the crisis:

1. Produce a construction skills plan to set out a long-term delivery schedule for vocational skills.
2. Set clear minimum competence standards for building companies to help guide current and future training provision.
3. To work with industry to create clear training pathways for prospective builders, which will help professionalise the sector