NOCN's Graham Hasting Evans wrote a really interesting article on FE News a few days ago about the Construction Skills Gap to build the Government's target of 1.5 Million homes, with the title: Where are the People to Build 1.5 Million Homes?
The UK's ambitious target to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years faces a significant challenge: finding the skilled workers to make it happen. In a thought-provoking article on FE News, Graham Hasting-Evans, Chief Executive of NOCN and President of BACH, outlines how the construction industry needs approximately 152,000 skilled workers across various trades, with critical shortages in bricklaying, carpentry, groundwork, and construction plant operations.
Whilst the government acknowledges this skills gap, traditional solutions like importing labour or relying solely on modular housing won't be enough to address the challenge. The global construction market is experiencing unprecedented demand, making international recruitment increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, though modern methods like off-site manufacturing show promise, market barriers and consumer preferences continue to favour traditional building methods.
The solution? Training our domestic workforce. With nearly one million NEETs (young people not in education, employment or training) and 2.8 million people currently out of work due to long-term sickness, there's significant potential to develop new talent. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and National House Building Council (NHBC) are stepping up with a £140 million investment in Homebuilding Skills Hubs, aiming to deliver fast-track apprenticeships that are 25-45% faster than traditional programmes.
For the Further Education sector, this presents both challenges and opportunities. The need for innovative training approaches, including foundation and short-duration apprenticeships, opens new possibilities for FE providers to play a crucial role in addressing this skills crisis. With construction trades offering competitive pay and long-term career prospects, there's never been a better time to consider a career in this field.
Ready to be part of building Britain's future? Check out our latest construction and skills training positions in FE [Link to construction jobs]. Whether you're an experienced construction trainer or looking to transition into teaching these essential skills, the sector needs your expertise.
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Read Graham Hasting-Evans' full analysis on FE News for a comprehensive look at the challenges and potential solutions to the UK's construction skills gap