Skills and Workforce Partners
HEADLINE PARTNERS
Closing the Skills Gap & Supporting the Emerging Workforce
We’re delighted to welcome South East Consortium (SEC) and the Kent & Medway Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) as this year’s Skills & Workforce Partners at Kent Construction EXPO.
Together, they are supporting an initiative that brings education and industry closer together, helping to inspire the next generation of construction professionals while addressing the sector’s future skills and workforce challenges.
Inspiring the Next Generation
As part of the partnership, more than 200 students and lecturers from colleges across Kent will attend the EXPO. Students will have the opportunity to explore careers in construction, meet employers, discover apprenticeship and employment pathways, and gain valuable insight into the skills shaping the future of the built environment.
Supporting Employers
The initiative also gives employers the opportunity to engage directly with future talent, strengthen links with education providers and help address skills shortages across the industry. By creating meaningful interactions between students and employers, the partnership supports a stronger pipeline of talent for Kent and the South East.
Students from the following colleges were in attendance at the 2025 event:
Meet the Employer
At the heart of the initiative is Meet the Employer – a structured speed-networking session connecting students with employers and professionals from across the construction industry.
Through a series of 15-minute conversations, students will gain real-world insight into different roles, career pathways, apprenticeships and employer expectations, while businesses have the opportunity to share their experience, inspire future talent and help strengthen the next generation of the construction workforce.
About our Skills and Workforce Partners
South East Consortium
Our procurement frameworks cover a range of works and services. They provide a route to market for contractors to do more work with housing providers.
Kent & Medway Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP)
The Kent & Medway LSIP brings businesses, education and partners together to identify skills priorities, shape training provision and ensure the region’s workforce has the skills employers need.
