Rosa Wells celebrated in mural unveiling | News | University College Birmingham

January 2026

Professor and Dean of STEM celebrated as ‘Built to Inspire’ mural unveiled

By Claire Huggins

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Our very own Professor Rosa Wells has been unveiled in a mural that forms a centrepiece to the new Department for Education (DfE) initiative, celebrating the people behind the construction of some of England’s most iconic buildings.

Taking pride of place at the Wood Street Walls site in Walthamstow, east London, the mural features Professor Rosa Wells, chosen for her work as Chair of the National Network Institutes of Technology, as well as our Executive Dean for Sustainable Construction.

Main image shows the celebrated individuals pictured in front of the mural at the unveiling. L-R: Milton Walcott, D'ontae Rock and Rosa Wells.

Alongside Professor Wells, the mural features Milton Walcott, HSEQ Manager and D’ontae Rock, carpentry apprentice, both from Complete Fixing Solutions (CFS). All three are set against the backdrop of the London Aquatics Centre, recently voted as one of the nation’s favourite buildings, as was Dudley’s Black Country Living Museum, made world-famous by its inclusion in Peaky Blinders.

It is one of two murals, with the other unveiled at Withington Walls, Manchester, which are ‘Built to Inspire’ – stopping people in their tracks and sparking conversations on the value and importance of construction projects, and in particular, the people behind the buildings that inspire and engage the public, be they apprentices, teachers or industry professionals.

“I feel quite humbled to be featured in the mural, and it’s a great honour,” said Rosa Wells, FE Principal and Dean of STEM.

“The construction sector is crying out for skilled workers, and these two murals are an exciting and innovative way to draw attention to that fact.

“As a qualified engineer who opted to enter further education to share my skills and experience, I know first-hand just how valuable experienced construction professionals are to the further education landscape. Our apprentices, our young people, our career changers all need to learn from the best if the government’s aims to secure the future of the construction sector are to be met.”

"I feel quite humbled to be featured in the mural, and it’s a great honour. The construction sector is crying out for skilled workers, and these two murals are an exciting and innovative way to draw attention to that fact"

Professor Rosa Wells FE Principal and Dean of STEM

Rosa Wells

According to new research shared by the DfE:

67% of adults in the West Midlands feel that boosting youth engagement in construction careers is critical to secure the future of the sector.

90% of adults in the West Midlands believe that ‘construction is vital to improving life in England through better housing, transport, schools, and hospitals’.

The research also revealed that buildings such as The Gherkin (London) and The Glasshouse International Centre for Music (Gateshead) rate highly for distinctive architecture, while Blackpool Tower and the Natural History Museum (London) resonate strongly with childhood nostalgia. Elsewhere, The Wave (Bristol) was hailed for its innovative engineering and Blenheim Palace (Oxfordshire), featured in Mission Impossible, Bridgerton and Harry Potter, was (perhaps unsurprisingly) noted for its cultural impact.

The research and the murals focus on one clear message:

Construction is not just about building structures – it’s about building futures

For professionals who want to share their knowledge and experience to train the next generation; for young people; for people who want to retrain; for people re-entering the workplace, construction has opportunities to suit you.

“Starting my carpentry apprenticeship has been an incredible experience,” said D’ontae Rock, carpentry apprentice at Complete Fixing Solutions.

“I didn’t expect to be given so much responsibility so quickly, but it’s pushed me to progress faster and explore the many career paths in construction. For anyone thinking about an apprenticeship, it’s a brilliant way to start your career.”

The Office for National Statistics lays the figures bare, highlighting that of the 35,000 construction vacancies, more than half of those are still vacant due to a lack of qualified workers.

The Teach in Further Education and Skills for Life campaigns are delivering the DfE initiative which supports the government’s pledge to secure England’s construction future by training an additional 60,000 construction professionals and delivering 1.5 million homes by 2029.