Ethnic diversity in construction

More people from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds are choosing careers in construction and succeeding.

This is good news not only for employees, but also for the industry as a whole. Greater diversity sets a virtuous circle in motion, making companies more attractive to a broader range of talented individuals. The same companies become more attractive to clients and more competitive too, because their customer base is better represented.

Ethnic diversity is a far reaching issue in the construction industry, encompassing not only the opportunities that are available but also the kind of buildings and architectural heritage that exist, and how they reflect the experience of people from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds. 

Architecture and ethnic diversity

Some of the UK’s most iconic buildings of recent years have come from the drawing boards of ethnic minority architects, despite the fact that only around 6% of those in the profession are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

For example, the dramatic lines and curves of the London Aquatics Centre, built for the 2012 Olympics, were the brainchild of Zaha Hadid (1950-2016). The British Iraqi-born architect won architecture’s top award, the Stirling Prize, twice, and is the only woman to have received the Royal Gold Medal, which since 1848 has been awarded to the finest and most influential architects in the world.

Perhaps no one is doing more for diversity in architecture design than Tara Gboladé, a leading force in British architecture who won the RIBA Rising Star award in 2018. Her practice, Gbolade Design Studio, has made its reputation with sustainable projects, specialising in developments that focus on empowering communities.

Gboladé is also active in the Paradigm Network, an organisation which helps to support and promote the work of ethnic minority architects, providing networking opportunities and ensuring that talents like hers achieve their full potential.

How diversity is represented in our buildings 

Black, Asian and ethnic minority history is also bound up in Britain’s built environment, which for many hundreds of years has held stories of many millions of people on this island and across the world who have connections with it.

Multi-cultural influences have permeated into a wide range of buildings. For example, Europe’s first traditional Hindu stone temple stands in Neasden, north-west London. When it was built in 1995, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was also the largest Hindu temple outside India, comprising almost 5,000 tonnes of limestone and marble, as well as 4,500 tonnes of concrete in its 6-foot thick foundation. 

Monuments and statues across the country are testament to a shared past, including several that were recently given listed status in recognition of their importance to black and ethnic minority history. They include the bust of Nelson Mandela outside the Royal Festival Hall, and the 1980s landmark, Brixton Recreation Centre, both in London.

However, the history and achievements of ethnic minorities are still hugely underrepresented. According to English Heritage, fewer than 4% of its plaques commemorate buildings made notable by ethnic minority people.

Ethnic diversity in the workforce

The construction industry works better with ethnically diverse workforces. Equality legislation like the Equality Act 2010 protects employees from discrimination and any form of harassment or bullying in the workplace. Employers can also create a more diverse culture in the workplace by introducing equality policies, making recruiting decisions based on merit, using inclusive language and providing diversity training, amongst many other initiatives.

Find out about the issues that the construction industry still faces, why a diverse workforce is so important and the efforts that are being made to improve career opportunities for people from ethnic groups.

The best construction apprenticeships for ethnic minority workers

If you’re from a Black, Asian or ethnic minority background and thinking about an apprenticeship in construction, you may be wondering where the best opportunities are. Some companies have demonstrated a significant commitment to improving diversity and inclusion, and offer popular apprenticeship schemes. These include:

Taylor Wimpey

Taylor Wimpey published its first Diversity Report in 2023, and each Taylor Wimpey regional business has a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) champion and D&I action plan. The company offers apprenticeships across its key trades of carpentry, bricklaying, scaffolding, roofing and painting and decorating.

Laing O'Rourke

Laing O'Rourke is an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and building projects for clients in the UK and across the world. Laing O’Rourke offers professional, trade and technical apprenticeships, giving talented people the skills needed to achieve in their chosen career while working as a full-time employee.

Willmott Dixon 

Willmott Dixon really stand out in the way they champion equality, diversity and inclusion. The construction company has diversity steering groups to address the gender balance and to enhance diversity, with a goal to have gender parity at all levels of the company by 2030. Willmott Dixon offers apprenticeships in a wide range of disciplines, including business support, carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying, plastering, maintenance operations and roofing.  

Mace Group

As befits a construction company that delivers bold, radical buildings, Mace has created a workplace culture and apprenticeship programme that respects equality, values diversity and encourages individuality. Mace has tackled barriers relating to racial equality, ethnic diversity, disability and LGBTQ+. The company run a number of networks that create awareness, knowledge and education, such as Women at Mace, Pride at Mace, Ethnic Diversity and Inclusion, and is proud of what it has achieved.

Construction scholarships tailored to support ethnic diversity

Getting an education in construction, engineering and architecture can be expensive. There are a variety of scholarship programmes available in the UK that can help you achieve your career aspirations, with some schemes having a particular focus on students from black, Asian and ethnic minority communities. These are just a sample currently open for applications:

The Black Heart Foundation Scholarship

The Black Heart Foundation’s mission is to improve educational access, quality and outcomes for children from underprivileged backgrounds and those who may struggle to afford the cost of higher education. Its primary goal is to remove the barriers to the aspirations and achievement of young people. The Black Heart Scholarship Programme awards several annual bursaries to qualified candidates to support their educational progress.

 The Stephen Lawrence Professional Scholarship

The Stephen Lawrence Professional Scholarship at De Montfort University in Leicester provides three students with 50% off the cost of tuition fees and a £3,500 cash bursary. The scholarships are open to students in the first year of their degree courses in Architecture, Journalism, Law or Criminology, and were established in honour of Stephen Lawrence, the teenager murdered in London in 1993. Stephen’s ambition was to be an architect.  

Start your career in the construction industry

You can become a part of a truly diverse and inclusive workforce with a career in construction, whether through an apprenticeship, further education or learning on the job. There are hundreds of exciting construction jobs and careers to choose from.