McPhillips reaches 19,097 students in a year of construction careers outreach

Telford contractor McPhillips has reached 19,097 students through careers fairs, workshops and school visits over the past year, the company said on 9 October, a figure it rounded to almost 20,000.

Social value co-ordinator Emily Myatt, who has been with the firm for 12 months, gave the total. McPhillips said the activity ranged from site visits to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) events for young people from primary school age through to post-16 education.

Myatt said: "It is something we have a duty to do, and it is so rewarding to see so many youngsters engaging with us."

The Marches Careers Hub pilot

McPhillips also said it was chosen by the Marches Careers Hub to lead a programme highlighting career pathways in construction through site visits and online sessions.

In a separate announcement in September 2026, the company said that pilot, called Boosting Skills Pathways, had given more than 7,000 students an insight into careers in the construction sector. McPhillips was the delivery partner for the pilot, which it said formed part of a nationwide pilot funded by the Careers and Enterprise Company.

The company said the pilot delivered activities on construction sites or in construction-led classroom sessions to 230 students, through 12 separate activities across six schools. The schools were Idsall School in Shifnal, HLC and Woodlands School in Telford, and Kingstone High School, Earl Mortimer College and Aylestone School in Herefordshire.

Andriané Usherwood-Brown, strategic skills lead for careers, emerging talent & partnerships at the Marches Careers Hub, said the hub was indebted to Myatt and the wider McPhillips team, who had volunteered their time over many months.

Background

McPhillips joined the Marches Careers Hub as a Cornerstone Employer in December 2025, the month in which it described Myatt as its new social value co-ordinator. At the time, managing director Paul Inions said there was a real shortage of skills and new talent in the construction industry.

The company began in 1964 as a small Shropshire builder and remains privately owned, with more than 240 directly employed staff. It says 20% of its people started as apprentices. It was named Company of the Year at the Shropshire Chamber Business Awards 2025 and won Community Champion at the same awards in 2026. It has also collected 28 consecutive RoSPA gold awards.

Its current workload includes a £20m retirement community in Newport, and the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce said the firm is delivering a £10m transport hub in Hereford. McPhillips said it recently completed a £9m renovation of Telford 6th.

Inions said: "Inspiring and nurturing the next generation of talent to work in our sector is key to futureproofing against skills shortages in our industry."

The national picture

McPhillips set its outreach against national figures it cited showing 981,000 young people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training, and pointed to the Milburn review of young people and work.

According to the Department for Work and Pensions, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions commissioned Alan Milburn to write that report. Its interim report, covering the discovery phase, was published on 28 May 2026. The department said the second phase will explore and identify potential areas for reform.