Opinion: Recruitment “A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE IS VITAL” Our future built environment is in the hands of our construction workforce, yet the industry itself is struggling to address its current skills shortage. Philip Fergusson, Managing Director at NCTS, a specialist training provider to the roofing sector, outlines why he feels skills and learning programmes are key to a flourishing building trade and workforce. Whether you’re a property owner or a contractor, employing tradespeople with the requisite skills to undertake a particular building project is of paramount importance. Poor workmanship could lead to a raft of issues which prove extremely costly to correct. There’s also a question of safety; builders who are not fully-trained in tasks they are assigned to carry out could be putting a building’s structural integrity at risk and in-turn, the health and wellbeing of the occupants. Incorrectly installed wall insulation, for instance, is liable to lead to damp and mould, which if left untreated could cause respiratory problems in those exposed to such areas. On-site health and safety is also compromised by the presence of insufficiently-trained workers. An entire team of roofers, for example, could be at risk of injury or worse by a single employee whose erroneous work practices are caused by a lack of understanding of HSE guidelines. A blue CSCS card should be seen as a badge of honour for site employees who carry one. It informs a client or contractor that they have achieved a construction-related NVQ or SVQ level 2, or completed an employer-sponsored apprenticeship. Enrolling on a Basic Competency Programme (BCP) or an On-Site Assessment and Training (OSAT) course, both of which are offered by NCTS, is a first step to achieving a Level 2 NVQ and an industry-recognised qualification. Such certification provides peace of mind for the client that their building project is in safe, experienced hands. Evolve or dissolve Construction materials and practices are continuously evolving. As a consequence, those who fail to adapt to industry change and learn new skills risk being left behind. Confidence boost An industry-recognised qualification is not only looked upon favourably by a potential employee; it instils huge confidence in the holder. An NVQ or CSCS accreditation represents personal achievement and can act as a useful bargaining tool for the recipient when it comes to negotiating a salary or applying for a promotion. The importance of qualifications should never be underestimated in giving candidates a personal and professional lift. Taking the initiative According to several recent reports, the UK construction industry will need approximately 400,000 new workers every year until 2021 to meet the demand for new building projects. In the roofing industry, some experts are predicting that we will have a shortfall of some 100,000 skilled crafts people over that period and every trade sector is reporting a similar story. An alarming forecast, particularly with the government announcing plans to build 300,000 new properties per year to help solve England’s affordable housing crisis. Never has there been a greater need for companies such as NCTS, which is taking the initiative and doing its utmost to ‘skill-up’ the workforce of tomorrow. The current construction skills shortage is due to Philip Ferguson, Managing Director at NCTS. workers retiring or leaving the industry and not being replaced. Therefore, a new generation needs to be encouraged to take up tools and join the sector if the country’s future building needs are to be met. This, however, will not be an easy task. In short, many of today’s youngsters feel a career in construction is a bit beneath them. In industry surveys carried out to ascertain a teenage perception of a construction-based career, building work meant low wages, lack of gender diversity and job security, and ‘being outdoors and getting dirty’. The construction industry urgently needs to sell itself to young people as a viable, fulfilling, longterm career option. One of the ways the building trade could become a more attractive proposition to potential new starters is to promote the training programmes that currently exist within the industry. Youngsters need to know that the support is in place to help them progress a building career that will not only be enriching in terms of the worthwhile work they will be carrying out, it could earn them a very good living that will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives. The message needs to be driven home – there has never been a better time to begin a career in construction. Contact NCTS 01480 501 011 www.ncts.org.uk @NCTS_2017 48 TC AUGUST <strong>2018</strong>
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