Paving the Way: The Role of Marketing and Bid Apprenticeships in the Future of Construction

The construction industry is navigating complex challenges, an ageing workforce, high turnover rates, limited brand recognition and increasing skills gaps. LEAP Apprenticeships, the apprenticeship arm of Travis Perkins, has partnered with The JGA Group to deliver specialist marketing and communications apprenticeships. This collaboration addresses these challenges while supporting Travis Perkins’ long-term talent and business strategy.

JGA speaks to Ryan Beaver, External Providers Partnerships and Functional Skills Team Manager, about the apprenticeship landscape in the construction industry.

Challenges in the Construction Industry

Travis Perkins, like much of the construction sector, faces an array of issues:

Ageing Workforce with employees and customers predominantly aged in their mid-40s or older, the construction sector struggles to attract younger talent. Ryan explained: “Our customers are ageing, and generally, the people in our branches mirror this demographic. It’s difficult to attract younger people to the sector as many view roles here as a job rather than a long-term career.”

Staff Retention – high turnover is a persistent issue, with 15% of new employees leaving within six months. Ryan highlighted: “A lot of younger people are likely to move between jobs or even industries. Retaining talent requires a clear pathway for career progression.”

Limited Brand Recognition – construction brands such as Travis Perkins face additional challenges. Their limited presence in mainstream media makes them less visible to prospective employees. “Travis Perkins doesn’t advertise on TV, so many people don’t know who we are,” Ryan noted. This lack of visibility makes it harder to attract young people to careers within the industry.

Economic and Industry Pressures – the building trade is under pressure due to economic uncertainty, creating fierce competition for fewer projects. Ryan shared: “There’s more competition for less business at the moment, which only adds to the pressure.”

Skills Gaps – foundational skills, such as maths and English, are often lacking among new recruits, particularly those in frontline roles. Additionally, employees working on busy counters or in builders’ yards face challenges balancing work responsibilities with apprenticeship coursework. “Many of the people we work with don’t have the maths and English skills required for Level 2 apprenticeships, so we’ve had to establish a team to address that,” Ryan explained.

The JGA Group’s Role

The JGA Group has partnered with LEAP Apprenticeships to deliver specialist marketing and communications apprenticeships, providing essential support to Travis Perkins in meeting its talent development goals.

Specialist Training for Niche Roles The JGA Group focuses on areas like bid and proposal, marketing and public relations, equipping apprentices with the skills to create impactful campaigns and improve brand visibility. “JGA offers what we need; delivery is always professional, and they ensure learners complete their programmes successfully,” Ryan said.

Industry-Experienced Tutors – a standout feature of The JGA Group’s model is employing tutors with real-world industry experience. This ensures apprentices gain both practical insights and theoretical knowledge. “It’s essential for developing our people. The tutors’ industry expertise makes all the difference,” Ryan shared.

Supporting Career Progression – apprenticeships offer clear career pathways, enabling learners to develop their skills and advance to senior roles. Ryan noted, “Hannah, who completed a communications apprenticeship with JGA, has gone on to become a group-wide comms manager. Her apprenticeship played a key role in her development.” Hannah shared: "My apprenticeship was amazing for putting my learning to work! I got to use the things I learned in my webinars on real projects at my company. This hands-on experience allowed me to develop practical skills like project management, crisis communication, and media relations while simultaneously contributing to the company's goals." Emily, a bid and proposal apprentice added: "The apprenticeship has helped me understand the bidding process alongside learning day to day at work. The more recent seminars on actually structuring and writing tenders have been especially useful to me in my job."

Flexibility and Adaptability The JGA Group’s tailored approach ensures programmes fit around apprentices’ demanding roles, allowing learners to balance their work and training effectively. "It’s been a great fit for us,” Ryan noted, with Emily adding: “The monthly assessment tasks have helped me put my learnings into practice. It also helps receiving feedback to continue to improve and understand what works well and what I could do differently.”

Results and Impact

The partnership between Travis Perkins and The JGA Group has delivered tangible benefits:

Improved Brand Presence Through Training marketing and communications apprenticeships have equipped Travis Perkins staff with the skills to tackle the challenge of limited brand recognition. Apprentices are contributing to campaigns that strengthen the company’s visibility in the marketplace. Hannah reflected on a key project she worked on: "One of my favourite projects was creating a celebratory video for colleagues who had recently completed their own apprenticeships. I was responsible for the entire process, from the initial design and planning to the final execution. This project allowed me to put my newly acquired skills to the test as I navigated different stakeholders, utilised various communication channels, and ensured a clear and consistent message reached the intended audience. The video was a resounding success!"

Enhanced Career Pathways Employees like Hannah and Emily have progressed to significant roles, showcasing the value of apprenticeships in career development. Hannah reflected, "The apprenticeship has significantly improved my ability to create effective and engaging communications. Before the programme, I was doing my best, but I felt like I was missing some key professional skills. I knew I needed to gain a formal qualification to enhance my abilities and advance my career. Thanks to the valuable knowledge I acquired through the apprenticeship, I was recently promoted to Corporate Communications Executive!"

Addressing Skills Gaps By focusing on niche apprenticeships in areas like marketing and public relations, The JGA Group enables Travis Perkins to meet organisational needs that cannot be addressed internally. “JGA’s provision ensures we don’t miss out on developing talent in areas we can’t support in-house,” Ryan noted.

Looking Ahead

Apprenticeships remain central to Travis Perkins’ workforce strategy, particularly as they navigate challenges in a competitive and evolving industry.

Emily explained: “The apprenticeship has informed us how to best present ourselves professionally, depending with whom we are engaging. Although some things are relatively obvious to experienced colleagues, I can see the immense benefit for someone starting their career straight out of education.”

Hannah shared: "Now, I'm not afraid to take on challenging projects and I confidently share my ideas to achieve our goals. My line manager was also an amazing support, empowering me to develop my career. I'm incredibly grateful for her guidance, as it made a huge difference."

Ryan summarised the value of the Travis Perkins/JGA partnership: “Apprenticeships are pivotal to what we do. They support succession planning and help us retain and develop talent. JGA has been an excellent partner in delivering specialist programmes that align with our needs.”

Conclusion

Through its collaboration with The JGA Group, LEAP Apprenticeships is addressing key challenges in the construction industry. From strengthening brand visibility to developing a skilled workforce, marketing and communications apprenticeships are proving essential to Travis Perkins’ long-term success.