Skills

Martin Smith is chief executive of metal fabrication company The HEX Group For decades, the construction industry has had a people problem. And now the workforce is ageing, it’s only getting worse. More people are leaving the industry than joining it and businesses are feeling the brunt of this trend.…

The flagship technical qualification has struggled with low take-up, with one construction course already scrapped. Yet some courses are seeing success. Ella Jessel investigates

Does the government’s £625m pledge on construction skills training stand up to scrutiny? 

Stephen Tracey is chair of the National Home Decarbonisation Group’s Green Skills Working Group and divisional manager for net zero carbon retrofit at Wates Group The government recently announced an £8m investment in retrofit skills with the Warm Homes Skills Programme (WHSP), an open grant competition for training providers and…

Stephen Tomkins is Balfour Beatty’s project director at Hinkley Point C The UK’s energy market stands at a critical juncture. As the country accelerates its transition towards renewables, the demand for skilled professionals has never been greater. However, the industry faces an undeniable challenge: a widening skills gap that threatens…

James Farr, director at post-16 skills and training consultancy Think  In the construction industry, facing complex challenges is part of the daily routine, whether it’s managing budgets, navigating supply chains or ensuring a project is built to the highest standard. But there’s another pressing puzzle that must be solved to…

Mark Leeson is operations director at consultancy McBains Will the government’s recent defence-spending boost provide ammunition to help spark construction’s recovery? To say recent construction industry forecasts have been downbeat would be an understatement, what with consultancy Arcadis’ market-view report predicting a painfully slow revival and market analysts S&P Global’s…

Lucie Wright is head of careers strategy at the Construction Industry Training Board Apprentices are the lifeblood of the industry. This is particularly true for SMEs: six in 10 construction apprentices are employed by businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Those employers would be some of the hardest-hit by a…

Chris Acton is chief executive of engineering firm Clancy Consulting The new Labour government has hit the ground running with numerous pledges that aim to “rebuild Britain”, as chancellor Rachel Reeves recently said. “The 32 new Homebuilding Skills Hubs will see an investment in local training that is tailored to…

Heather Holbrook is a partner at consultancy Thomas & Adamson, part of Egis Group Construction has never enjoyed the best reputation as a career path. Last year, research found that 69 per cent of UK adults wouldn’t consider a career in the sector, rising to 77 per cent among respondents…