Thousands of students will receive text messages asking them to consider a career in the building trade this week.

ConstructionSkills, the construction sector skills council, is sending text messages to 18-year-olds across Sussex in the wake of A-level results to search for the "brightest and the best" candidates for the trade.

It is expected more than 17,200 jobs will be created in the construction industry in the region by 2008.

The text messages form part of a long-term campaign to make future graduates aware of the technical and professional roles available within the industry.

Nicola Thompson, from CITB-ConstructionSkills, said: "There are fantastic opportunities for the region's A-level graduates in the sector.

"These range from traditional degree courses, such as architecture and surveying, to lesser known courses such as building project management or urban and environmental planning."

To find out more, visit www.bconstructive.co.uk