Gateshead College
A unique approach to built environment education
Developed by Gateshead College in collaboration with Ryder Architecture and a consortium of more than 70 leading employers nationwide, PlanBEE has grown into a nationally acclaimed and internationally respected programme.
It represents a pioneering, employer-led approach to tackling the persistent skills shortages in the construction and built environment sector, equipping apprentices with the diverse knowledge, technical expertise and interdisciplinary understanding essential for today’s complex, fast-paced construction landscape.
At the heart of PlanBEE’s success is an unrelenting commitment to doing things differently, challenging the silo mentality that has long hindered multi-disciplinary collaboration across the industry.
Conceived not as a minor upgrade to traditional apprenticeships, but as a complete rethink of how young people enter and progress within the sector, it is the first programme of its kind with apprentices undertaking six distinct four-month placements across a range of roles and employers, rather than just one. This deliberately exposes them to a broad range of technical and professional roles including architecture, engineering, building services, quantity surveying, consultancy and construction/site management.
As the programme itself is free to learners, it opens doors to young people from deprived communities who may otherwise be at a disadvantage due to the expense associated with traditional university-level study. It has also encouraged women and minorities to explore careers in different areas of the construction industry they may not previously have considered.
PlanBEE has now expanded beyond the North East to Manchester and London, and internationally to Canada. It has also been adapted to new sectors, including rail (PlanBEE Rail) and digital technologies (PlanBEE Cyber), proving its scalability and relevance.
PlanBEE is helping employers to build stronger teams by developing a new kind of early career professional – multi-skilled, adaptable and equipped with a systems-level understanding that today’s construction and infrastructure projects increasingly depend on.