Construction leaders wanted as Miss Macaroon looks to build a brighter skills future

A leading Birmingham social enterprise – with a track record of getting people back into employment – is targeting the construction world with its latest project.

Rosie Ginday MBE, the founder of Miss Macaroon, believes the sector is ready to embrace social impact schemes like the ‘Fairer Futures Programme’ she has developed to help it meet wide-ranging skills needs, unlock social value and create lasting legacies that are more than just buildings.

The initiative is set-up to tackle youth unemployment by giving young people access to personalised support, counselling, one-to-one mentoring, training and work experience.

It has already received the backing of The Midcounties Co-Operative in the retail space, helping more than 32 individuals secure employment – 61% of whom have never had a job.

Rosie is now hoping to launch a similar concept for construction leaders at a special ‘Building a Brighter Future’ luncheon held at University College Birmingham on November 13^th.

The event will feature a keynote address from West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker and a host of table discussions to explore how social impact interventions with construction sites and supply chains can make a real difference.

There will also be an exclusive tour of the new James Cond Construction Centre, a significant investment into equipping the region with sustainable construction skills.

“We’ve put together an excellent set of speakers and there will also be a series of facilitated table discussions hosted by Homes England, Birmingham City Council, Resonance Social Impact Property Fund and Wates amongst others,” explained Rosie.

“These will share ideas, test out best practice and challenge fellow leaders, not to mention networking at the end with like-minded professionals,” explained Rosie.

“I will also be using the event to outline how construction companies can demonstrate social value to make a real positive difference to individuals and, importantly, improving the current and future skills landscape. It’s predicted that the West Midlands will need an extra 35,600 workers in the construction industry by 2028 – those figures are staggering!”

She continued: “We’ve proven it can work in the retail world and I reckon a lot of the foundations we’ve developed there can be applied to this sector – but we need companies to come forward like The Midcounties Co-Operative did!

The Building a Brighter Future luncheon will highlight valuable insights into how construction leaders and policymakers can urgently address the sector’s skills shortages through social impact programmes.

Attendees will explore innovative funding solutions for social housing, alongside strategies for leveraging social procurement to maximise community benefits and drive long-term positive impact across the region.

Richard Parker, the Mayor for the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), will share his vision for the industry and jobs for young people at a time when the new Government is making strong commitments to the region and ensuring social value will play an even bigger part in procurement.

Rosie concluded: “The message is simple…join us in building not just structures for the region, but a legacy of positive change and sustainable growth in the West Midlands.”