IF YOU want to build a lucrative career, swap your mortarboard for mortar and bricks...

That's the advice from East Lancashire construction industry leaders who are urging next year's school and college leavers to think carefully before they decide to apply to university - and consider instead going straight into a career in construction.

"Young people should not shun traditional careers such as construction which offer quality 'on-the-job' training, excellent career prospects and strong earning potential," said Marie Ashall, who is regional director for the National Federation of Builders.

She pointed out that a dumper truck driver can earn £450 a week and a carpenter £500.

The Federation is warning that, with employers placing more and more focus on specific skills and training, next year's school and college leavers would be well advised to research just what further education courses will actually offer before they enrol.

Many further education courses provided students with fantastic employment opportunities every year and this should be encouraged. But young people needed to be aware that a degree qualification did not always carry a guarantee of immediate employment.

However, Dr Andrew Platten, head of the University of Central Lancashire's Department of Built Environment in Preston, said: "The NFB is being divisive and misleading to many undergraduate students.

"From my experience the employment rate for graduates is extremely high.

"The rate is in fact in excess of 90 per cent.

"We specialise in developing graduate skills, the use of computer-aided design, understanding materials technology and becoming effective project managers with a range of technical and inter-personal skills.

"Surely this is something to be proud about. Most definitely students should not think twice about such a programme of study."