09/10/2026
This week, Operator Skills Hub was proud to be part of Care into Construction Day alongside Gallagher Group and Flannery Plant Hire at the Kent Skills Hub.
The need for initiatives like this is clear. Research shows that more than 40% of care leavers are not in education, employment or training by the age of 20, and only 2% progress into apprenticeships. Behind those statistics are talented young people with potential, ambition and the ability to succeed when given the right support and opportunity.
That's why days like today matter.
By bringing together employers, training providers, and care-experienced young people, we're helping to break down barriers, build confidence and create genuine pathways into construction. A conversation, a connection or a first introduction can be the start of a rewarding career.
Construction offers so much more than a job. It provides skills, qualifications, purpose, progression, and the chance to build a future. As an industry, we all have a role to play in ensuring those opportunities are accessible to everyone.
A huge thank you to Tessa Leigh Allen-Ridge, Odee Pessu, Jenna Don, Lee O'Dwyer, Lyndsey Gallagher, Fatima Whitbread MBE, Jean Stevens (Duprez) MBE, Samantha King and the wider teams at Gallagher Group, Flannery Plant Hire and GSQ Brickwork for the passion, collaboration and hard work that went into delivering this event.
Together, we're helping to create brighter futures for care-experienced young people by turning potential into real opportunities within our industry.
