Ministry of Defence, Places for London launch veterans into construction jobs programme

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Veterans into construction jobs

Highlights

Ministry of Defence and Places for London launched the Building Beyond Service programme targeting veterans for construction careers via accredited training and direct employer links.
The initiative aims to address construction labour shortages and underpin the Defence Housing Strategy by aligning skilled veterans with sector demand and housing supply goals across London.
First cohort receives plant operations training at Places for London Skills Academy, with intentions to expand intake and industry pathways to support both veterans and construction employers.

Training scheme targets skills shortages

As reported by GOV.UK, citing the UK government, the Ministry of Defence and Places for London have launched Building Beyond Service, a programme designed to help veterans move into construction careers through recognised training and direct links to employers.

Delivered through the Places for London Skills Academy with The Skills Centre and L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage, the scheme is giving the first cohort hands-on instruction in plant operations. Participants are learning to use in-demand machinery and gain qualifications intended to help them secure long-term jobs in the sector.

The initiative also sits alongside other Defence-backed employment support, including the Career Transition Partnership for service leavers and Op ASCEND for veterans. Officials say the aim is to make it easier for ex-service personnel to translate military skills and work experience into civilian employment.

Housing and labour market goals

The partnership supports the government’s Defence Housing Strategy and is intended to address labour shortages in construction while opening new employment opportunities for veterans. It also ties into the wider ambition to increase housing supply, with ministers presenting construction skills as part of the pipeline needed to deliver more homes across London.

Veterans Minister Calvin Bailey says the programme creates a clearer route into civilian work for former service personnel while helping an industry that needs skilled staff. David Brewer, chief executive of the Defence Housing Service, describes the pilot as a forces-first partnership that could benefit veterans, construction employers and housing development in London and beyond.

Laura Miller, head of skills and growth at Places for London, says the first intake is intended as the start of a broader programme across the built environment. She says the ambition is to expand pathways into the industry, support career progression and help build the skilled workforce London needs.

Our earlier article covered Menara Asia’s launch of Menarabena, a B2B digital platform designed to connect construction firms with building material suppliers while centralising certification, technical documentation and compliance information. We noted that the push for digitalisation is intended to improve supply-chain efficiency, help contractors of all sizes access reliable product data, and support regulators’ quality and standards requirements without replacing existing approvals.

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