January 2019

Contract Talk
MIND THE ROOFING SKILLS GAP
There are an estimated 32 million unemployed people in the UK, yet the skills shortage
within the construction industry continues to increase each year. Simon Hall, Training
Manager at SIG Roofing, discusses why it’s crucial to start bridging the gap.
On the whole, 2018 was a positive year for
the construction industry, with output
recovering after a slow start with new and
RMI work driving businesses forward. So, while
the UK still faces an uncertain 2019 with the
unpredictability of Brexit, the construction
industry is still expected to remain strong.
However, one thing that has remained consistent
across the sector is the lack of new skills coming
into the industry and an ageing workforce
widening the gap. When new talent is joining, there
has also been a lack of quality training available
or even time to spend away from the job to upskill.
Difficulty recruiting roofers
The roofing industry is also feeling the stretch,
with The Federation of Master Builders’ State of
the Trade Survey revealing that in the first half of
the year a third of respondents had difficulty
recruiting skilled roofers. It also revealed that the
workload for construction SMEs has been on the
rise for more than five years, which further adds
to the workload pressures faced by the industry.
While there are no quick fixes, there are
measures that can be taken to reduce the longterm
impact. Recently, the NFRC and CITB have
announced a pledge to take steps in upskilling the
workforce and are exploring new ways to attract
new talent through its RoofCERT initiative. SIG
Roofing has backed the accreditation with the
hopes that it will help diversify the sector whilst
improving efficiency.
The Government is also doing its bit to help
secure new contractors into the roofing industry.
The new apprenticeship levy launched in 2017
means businesses with a pay bill of less than £3
million per year (approximately 98% of UK
businesses) will have 90% of their
apprenticeship costs
funded by the
levy. It will be
paid by those
with a pay bill
of more than £3
million, at 0.5% of
their total annual pay bill per
year. This means that affording apprenticeships is
now much more feasible for businesses of all sizes.
The new schemes combine classroom study with
time spent on site with a roofing company,
providing the practical and theoretical knowledge
required for achieving the relevant qualification.
Apprenticeships are run through colleges all over
the country in partnership with employers keen to
take on young apprentices and train them up
through their ranks. The colleges offer ongoing
support for both apprentices and employers and
are responsible for awarding the final
qualification.
“There is a job to be
done to educate young
talent about the
opportunities roofing
can offer to them”
The young and the old
Currently it appears younger people are simply
not joining the roofing profession as, shockingly,
less than 3% of construction workers are
currently aged between 16-19 compared to over a
third being over 50. There is a job to be done to
educate young talent about the opportunities
roofing can offer to them.
One of the main benefits of getting into the
construction industry
remains that
there will be no
shortage of
work over the
coming years with
housebuilding on the
rise. However, in order to
entice new people into the industry, the offer
needs to be exciting, provide opportunities for
growth and above all offer good earning potential.
Alarmingly lower than industry average
Training is a key barrier as it has been reported
that, on average, only £743 per worker is being
invested in training in the roofing sector. This is
alarmingly lower than the industry average, which
comes in at £4,090 per worker per year. When
recruiting an apprentice consider formalising a
training programme for them which will show
where their career could potentially take them.
There are also wider opportunities with
manufacturers to undertake training schemes,
sometimes free of charge, which not only
enhances their knowledge but also expands your
company’s skill set.
On the whole, it may seem like a time-consuming
process bringing in and training a new member of
the team, especially when output continues to
increase. However, it is crucial that the
construction industry acts sooner rather than
later in order to future-proof the roofing sector,
but also allow businesses to grow and thrive
while the work continues to remain strong.
Contact SIG Roofing
0845 612 4304
www.sigroofing.co.uk
@SIGRoofing
20 TC JANUARY 2019