EBP South and Barratt David Wilson Homes lay the foundations for future talent with new “Construct & Create” event!
On the 25th March 2026 EBP South and Barratt David Wilson Homes launched their inaugural “Construct & Create” career inspiration event. Hosted at the Testlands Wellbeing Hub, this interactive showcase was designed to present career opportunities in the construction industry to secondary students across the region, breaking down job role stereotypes and raising aspirations.
As the construction sector continues to evolve, the need for a skilled, inspired, and diverse workforce has never been greater. “Construct & Create” addresses this by moving beyond the classroom and providing a hands-on experience for young people.
Hands-on exploration
71 secondary school students from 8 schools attended the event and engaged with employers directly:
- Tandem Electrical provided a live solar panel demonstration and energy quiz exploring the future of renewables.
- Portsmouth Carpentry Limited gave hands-on training in joinery, focusing on angle dissection and timber scribing.
- Artspace Interiors provided an industry-led interior design workshop featuring professional mood board creation.
- Lee Peck Media explored crisis communications and managing major project emergencies.
- EBP South explored the diverse range of construction career pathways, career mind-mapping, and professional presentation skills.
Sammy Ward, CEO of EBP South, emphasised that the event helped to empower young people from across Hampshire with important career information.
“We are delighted to work with Barratt David Wilson Homes to deliver this new event which breaks down barriers to careers in the Construction industry. Construct and Create raises aspirations by helping young people to learn through hands on interactive activities, breaking down barriers and creating new potential career opportunities.”.
Bridging the gap between classroom and career
By blending high-energy fun with strategic future planning, EBP South is tackling the skills gap head-on. The impact is undeniable: 100% of students who attended the event said they learnt about Construction careers that they did not know about before.
The success of the event was possible due to support from event partner, Barratt David Wilson Homes.
Megan Hamlyn, Marketing Manager, at Barratt David Wilson Homes was keen to share her thoughts and highlight the importance of this collaboration:
“Construct & Create has been a fantastic opportunity for Barratt David Wilson Homes to engage directly with young people and highlight the wide range of careers within the construction industry. With a growing skills gap across the sector, initiatives like this are vital in inspiring the next generation and bringing these opportunities to life.
It’s been incredibly encouraging to see the level of enthusiasm and engagement from the students and our subcontractors throughout the day. We’re proud to partner with EBP South on events like this, helping to build a strong and skilled workforce for the future.”.
EBP South
Inspire | Prepare | Connect
