Novus joins PfP Thrive’s skills relay to champion the future of construction

Throughout March, Novus Property Solutions is proud to be taking part in the PfP Thrive Skills Baton Relay – an initiative designed to highlight the collaborative effort required to address one of the construction sector’s most pressing challenges: the skills shortage.

The relay forms part of the wider PfP Thrive movement , launched in November 2025 alongside the opening of the PfP Thrive Skills Centre in Derby. The centre represents a significant investment in training, development and opportunity for the housing and construction sectors, with the goal to equip the workforce of today and tomorrow with the skills needed to build, maintain and improve the UK’s homes and communities.

A symbol of collaboration

The Skills Baton Relay is designed to bring the sector together around a shared mission.

Passing the baton from partner to partner symbolises the knowledge, skills and collaboration required to strengthen the industry’s workforce.

Each organisation that takes part represents another link in a chain of collaboration across the housing sector – demonstrating how partners are investing in people, developing talent and creating pathways into construction careers.

For Novus, receiving the baton is an opportunity to highlight the role we play in developing skilled professionals and supporting the future of the industry.

Addressing the construction skills gap

The construction sector continues to face a significant skills shortage, with demand for skilled workers increasing as the industry works to maintain existing housing stock, while also supporting the delivery of new homes and large-scale retrofit programmes.

Meeting this challenge requires more than recruitment alone. It demands long-term investment in training, apprenticeships and career development, as well as strong collaboration between organisations across the housing and construction ecosystem.

Initiatives such as PfP Thrive demonstrate how partnership-led approaches can help turn ambition into action, creating opportunities for individuals while strengthening the sector as a whole.

Opening doors to new talent

At Novus, investing in people is central to how we operate. From apprenticeships and structured training programmes to ongoing professional development, we are committed to creating opportunities for individuals to build long-term careers within construction and property services.

As part of our partnership with PfP Thrive, on International Women’s Day (8^th March 2026) we also launched the BuildHer programme, a new initiative to introduce women to opportunities within property maintenance and the construction sectors.

The programme provides female housing customers who are currently seeking employment with the chance to gain practical, hands-on experience in a supportive learning environment. Participants can build confidence using tools and equipment, develop basic maintenance skills, and gain insight into career pathways within the sector.

This is particularly important in an industry where women remain significantly underrepresented in trade roles. By opening up opportunities and providing accessible entry points into the sector, initiatives like BuildHer aim to help broaden participation and build a more diverse future workforce.

Those interested in learning more about the programme or registering their interest can do so here.

Building momentum across the sector

The ambition behind the Skills Baton Relay is simple: raise awareness of the work being done across the housing sector to address the skills shortage and encourage more organisations to be part of the solution.

PfP Thrive has been built through collaboration, bringing together partners who share a commitment to developing skills, creating opportunity and supporting the next generation of industry professionals.

As the baton continues its journey across the country, it represents the collective effort required to tackle the skills challenge and ensure the sector has the knowledge, talent and expertise it needs for the future.

Novus is proud to play its part in carrying that momentum forward.