Employers
If you operate in the built environment sector and are looking to attract and retain bright young talent, you’ve come to the right place.
PlanBEE, a partnership of architects, builders, engineers, surveyors and project managers in the North East of England, came together to shake up the traditional way young people are recruited and trained in the construction sector.
In 2013, founding partners Ryder Architecture, Arup, Brims, Cundall, FaulknerBrowns, Sir Robert McAlpine, Tolent, Xsite and 3E Consulting, joined forces with Gateshead College to design and deliver a Higher Apprenticeship in Architectural Engineering and Management providing an alternative route into the industry than university.
PlanBEE Manchester was launched in 2021. Developed in partnership with Manchester City Council, Manchester Life, Ryder Architecture and Gateshead College, the programme builds on the successful higher apprenticeship models that have been running in both the North East and North West.
In 2023 PlanBEE London was introduced. Delivered in partnership with the London School of Architecture, PlanBEE links to their Part 0 initiative which aims to raise awareness and give young people and those looking for a career change, access to the wide variety of careers in the built environment sector.
Benefits
- A cost effective and innovative way to recruit and develop talented young people.
- Intensive Higher Apprenticeship designed by employers that meets industry need.
- Focus on Leadership, Economics, Design, Technology and Production.
- Broad content designed to ensure greater understanding and appreciation of multi-disciplinary roles and collaborative working.
- 98% of PlanBEE graduates have progressed to permanent roles in the sector.
“We have been involved with PlanBEE since 2018 and are avid supporters of the scheme and what opportunities it brings to students and future graduates in the region. It’s an excellent programme and the calibre of students that come out of the scheme and those we have taken on have been extremely high. We look forward to continuing to support PlanBEE over the coming years and graduate intake of PlanBEE students is now a strategic part of our graduate recruitment programme.”
“We are all well aware that there is a skills gap within the industry, and programmes like PlanBEE have a crucial role to play. If I could do my learning again, I would do PlanBEE. The experience the PlanBEE students get, means people coming out with a greater understanding and appreciation of multi-disciplinary roles - understanding design, structural engineering, architecture, quantity surveying, construction site management and M&E. As PlanBEE is employer-led, the programme has the ability to meet new challenges and the curriculum is constantly evolving year on year to include Net Zero Carbon, Green Skills, and retrofit.”
“The key benefit of PlanBEE to our business is that we’re recruiting people with a really good grasp and appreciation of our industry. There are many facets to the built environment sector, with lots of different types of projects to work on, and people now need a broader skillset than perhaps they did previously. As we grow and develop our portfolio and customer base, we need people with a wide range of skills to come on that journey with us.”
