Today, 15 July 2026, marks the global observance of World Youth Skills Day. Established by the United Nations General Assembly, this day highlights the strategic importance of equipping young people with technical and vocational skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship. The official United Nations theme for 2026, ‘Skills for a Shared Future’, draws attention to the critical need for innovative training programmes that empower the younger generation to navigate a rapidly changing economic, technological, and environmental landscape.
At MPB Structures, we recognise that the transition to a sustainable future within the civil engineering and concrete structures sectors depends heavily on the skills, adaptability, and resilience of the next generation of industry professionals.
Championing Youth Recruitment and Vocational Pathways
In alignment with the goals of World Youth Skills Day, MPB Structures has consistently delivered multiple initiatives to promote the recruitment, training, and integration of young people into the built environment.
Our core activities in this area include:
- The National Youth Guarantee and Youth Employment Week: MPB Structures recently aligned with the National Youth Guarantee to champion Youth Employment Week in the United Kingdom. This national campaign brought together young individuals, educators, and employers to foster new talent and address youth unemployment within the construction industry.
- Support for ‘Earn and Learn’ Pathways: In response to the latest National Skills Reform, we have formally aligned with the insights of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and The 5% Club. By offering robust vocational training and professional opportunities, we aim to combat the systemic challenges faced by young people who are currently not in employment, education, or training (NEET).
- Comprehensive Entry Routes: Our approach integrates pre-employability guidance, work experience, upskilling, T Level work placements, apprenticeships, and graduate entry programmes, ensuring that there is an accessible pathway for every aspiring professional.
A Message from Our Leadership
To mark this occasion, Martyn W Price MBE, Business & People Development Director at MPB Structures, shared his insights on the progress achieved so far and our ambitious targets for the coming year:
“MPB Structures Ltd demonstrate an unrivalled commitment to World Youth Skills – which during the past twelve months has resulted in guidance and support to up to 300 young people, including careers talks and opportunities whether that’s pre-employability, work experience, upskilling, T Level work placements, apprenticeships or graduate programmes, MPB do it all!
This next year we intend to double-down on our effort and seek to support and create opportunities for up to 500 young people! That’s up to 500 young people benefitting from some exposure with MPB and working towards a more sustainable future within the Construction sector!”
Building a Sustainable Future
Bridging the skills gap is essential to securing the long-term prosperity of both our industry and the wider community. By providing practical exposure, technical mentorship, and structured career progression, MPB Structures remains committed to developing a highly skilled workforce. We look forward to expanding our efforts over the next twelve months, ensuring that up to 500 young individuals receive the opportunities they need to build a successful and sustainable career in construction.
