MMC 5542 48 Feb '16 cc

Could offsite construction attract
new home grown talent?
Ministers have just today announced that they want the construction industry to focus efforts on attracting,
developing and retaining home grown talent into the industry and remove barriers currently preventing more young
people from entering the sector.
This involves looking at how companies
recruit and train, but also at how
adopting modern technologies and
methods could help to keep our sector
interesting, up-to-date and attractive to the
next generation of budding construction
professionals.
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis and Skills
Minister Nick Boles have stressed that they
want the construction industry to re-evaluate
their current business models to see if there is
enough attention being paid to recruitment.
The ministers suggested that businesses should
also consider other methods of construction -
such as offsite manufacturing - to help diversify
the industry.
The Construction Leadership Council has been
called upon to review what skills the
construction industry need to provide enough
homes to meet national demand and tackle the
housing crisis effectively.
The Council has asked Mark Farmer, of real
estate and construction consultancy Cast, to
identify actions that will help bring more
workers to the industry.
Views are being sought on how to best train a
workforce which has a high level of selfemployment
and bring about greater use of offsite
construction. The review will also look at
how the industry can introduce measures that
encourage more investment and new ways of
working.
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said “The
number of new homes is up 25% in the last
year – and this is further proof we’ve got the
country building again and delivering the
homes the nation wants.”
“This means thousands of jobs are now up for
grabs and we’re determined to make sure that
there are enough skilled workers to get the job
done.”
“Construction offers an exciting and rewarding
career and we need to build a new generation
of home grown talented, ambitious and highly
skilled construction workers.”
Skills Minister Nick Boles commented “The
government is committed to getting Britain
building. We are investing in measures to cut
red tape and increase the number of young
people doing apprenticeships and traineeships
to ensure we have a pipeline of skilled
workers.”
“As leaders in the industry, the Council is best
placed to advise on how to boost productivity in
the sector and build the houses and
infrastructure our nation needs.”
Mark Farmer, chief executive officer at Cast,
“...thousands of jobs are
now up for grabs and we’re
determined to make sure
that there are enough
skilled workers to get the
job done.”
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis
added “I’m delighted to be asked to lead this
review. The construction industry’s skills
shortfall has been growing progressively and its
ageing workforce now means affirmative action
needs to be taken to avoid more acute issues in
the future.”
“A healthy and robust construction sector is
vital to underpinning the government’s
commitment to delivering critical new housing
and infrastructure projects. It will also ensure
the unrivalled economic multiplier effect
related to construction activity continues to
play its part within the wider UK economy.”
“The industry needs to seize the opportunity to
celebrate the vital contribution it makes and, in
partnership with government and other key
stakeholders, ensure it overcomes the current
barriers to fulfilling its potential.”
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