Voltimum - Call for combined action to tackle severe skills shortages

[Social Integrator]

Nine industry federations and representative bodies have jointly called for collaboration to boost availability of occupations in greatest shortages including site supervisors, operatives and quantity surveyors.

The organisations – Association for Consultancy & Engineering, Build UK, Civil Engineering Contractors Association, Construction Plant-hire Association, Construction Products Association, Federation of Master Builders, Highways Term Maintenance Association, National Federation of Builders and the Chartered Institute of Building – want to see the industry work together to accelerate recruitment for 18 severe shortage roles in industry.

These roles are:

• Mechanical & Electrical Engineers
• Acoustic Engineers
• Bricklayers
• Carpenters
• Ceiling Fixers
• Chartered Surveyors
• Civil Engineers
• Construction & building trades supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• Design engineers
• Dry Liners General Labourers
• Groundworkers
• Planners
• Plant And Machine Operatives
• Production Managers And Directors
• Quantity Surveyors
• Structural Engineers

The roles have been identified through research from across the members of each organisation and the wider industry as those that are hardest to recruit for. They are vital to the delivery of projects nationwide.

The groups recommend that wherever possible, steps should be taken to recruit for these roles within the UK, bringing in new workers or upskilling the existing workforce. Where this is not possible, it is proposed that the Government add the roles to its Shortage Occupation list as part of its current review of migration as the UK leaves the EU.

Additions to the Shortage Occupation list would allow these roles to be prioritised in future migration from the rest of the world, helping industry to fill these essential roles.

Suzannah Nichol MBE, chief executive at Build UK said: “Construction projects across the UK are being held back by a shortage of suitable skills. This survey provides vital evidence of the specific roles which must now be considered by the Government for inclusion on the Shortage Occupation list ensuring that we can keep Britain building.”

Brand: 
Voltimum


Thumbnail image: 

Teaser: 
Leading construction bodies have called for united action between industry and Government to address skills pinch-points.


Type: 
Industry News


Date of publication: 
25/01/2019


Target group: 
Voltimum


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[Tony S]

There’s no shortage of managers, where the shortage is with skilled electrical* tradesmen.

Notice how we’re not in the list?

*I mean skilled, not 5WW.

 

[Blue Duck]

The last building company I was working for there was 11 managers, not trades managers, there was those too, but 11 guys sat about doing not much for months at a time until the s**t hit the fan and the job was about to over run & they all suddenly appeared!

Don't believe there is much of a skills shortage, the pay is not high enough right now, not many jobs on or new starts and the building game as a whole seems to be in decline. Brexit anyone?

Lies, damn lies,  and statistics to justify the employment of yet more schemes and quangos.

Meh!

 

[binky]

There's a shortage on big building sites, something to do with paying lettuced money. Up the money and the skills shortage will soon evaporate.

 

[Sharpend]

Skills shortage will only disappear when two factors change, the incentive to spend the correct time to do the correct training is improved and the quality of the training is improved. In addition to this it would be helpful if the regs weren't changed/amended quite so often as I could imagine it being quite a PITA trying to teach something that is so fluid, perhaps to the point whereby the tutor is a cheesed off as those trying to learn it? imagine being a new apprentice on a three year course, by the time you have absorbed and understood the regs as taught and you are in your final year you suddenly have a new amendment dropped on you to learn, please let my head soak in the first lot of learned info before confusing me with a second set?

I would also say from experience that there isn't necessarily a skills shortage but too many money men running firms cutting the time to apply the skill too? and lets face it there are those with the skill that will always find quality work, I'm sure we have a few on here!

 

[phil d]

With poor pay and all the responsibilities we have, not to mention the amount of money we have to spend not only on tools and equipment but also keeping up with the all too frequently, and in my opinion, pointless changes to the regs is it any wonder!  Whilst out driving the other day I saw an advert for warehouse workers in Aldi, £9 per hour, and a decent package to go with it.Very little training, regular hours and virtually zero responsibilities.

Now compare that against some electrical jobs, must be apprentice trained, must have own tools, must have own test gear, oh and all the latest qualifications, all for 12 or 13 quid an hour, plus all the responsibilities that go with the job. Yet some people still don't get it, it's the same with the minimum/living wage, that isn't helping either, yes people on lower wages get more money and ok, everybody has to live, but if their money is going to go up then surely a tradesman's money should too. The way it's going unless there are drastic changes I can foresee a time when unskilled workers are earning the same as skilled ones, then we'll all be in trouble.

 

[binky]

It's a double edge sword.

We hate the scams becuase they have just become self fullfilling money making quangos, but at the same time we need better standards. I reckon we need to raise standards of training and get the status that goes with a proper 4 year training course. With that comes proper recognition of skills and in theory money. 

My son was stacking shelves for Tesco on the night shift. OK in theory I can earn what he did in 2/3  days, but I can't guarantee my hours and have to finance holidays, sick etc etc

 

[phil d]

It's a double edge sword.

We hate the scams becuase they have just become self fullfilling money making quangos, but at the same time we need better standards. I reckon we need to raise standards of training and get the status that goes with a proper 4 year training course. With that comes proper recognition of skills and in theory money. 

My son was stacking shelves for Tesco on the night shift. OK in theory I can earn what he did in 2/3  days, but I can't guarantee my hours and have to finance holidays, sick etc etc

That's exactly my point, your son had nothing to worry about, he knew his hours and he knew how much he was earning each week. we have to jump through all kinds of hoops plus the skilled man has to compete with the short course bod who probably knows next to nothing about the job.

We must be one of the only professions that allow this, I mean, I know quite a bit about medical stuff, but I can't do a short course, call myself a doctor and start working in my local hospital can I!

 

[binky]

all the professions that have proper controlling bodies also earn more money, law, medicene, even social workers.