IS POOR IMAGE FUELLING THE CONSTRUCTION SKILLS GAP?
17.10.07
Children’s favourite ‘Bob the builder’ and his no-nonsense ‘can do’ attitude has inspired thousands of under-5s to pick up a hammer and start experimenting. Indeed, if every Bob devotee grew up to join the construction profession, the industry would be inundated with enthusiastic youngsters.
The reality is, however, there is a shortage of young people entering the industry, with many apparently slipping through the net.
One of the major problems facing the industry is image, explains Neville Clements, chairman of Midlands-based Adonis Construction.
“Although we’ve made significant headway in recent years, construction work is still tarnished with a poor image of cluttered building sites and a perception of low-skilled workforces,” said Mr Clements.
“Consequently, other career paths tend to prove more attractive to school leavers and graduates and until we address this issue, the ageing skilled workforce within the UK will continue to go un-replenished.
This in itself could have greater consequences to an already over competitive job market, added Mr Clements.
“What we don’t want is construction to be a second or even third choice sector of employment. We need employees at all levels who are committed to the long-term growth of the sector and who share our goal of driving the profile of the Midlands to ensure continued investment within the region.
“We need to highlight that modern construction is all about innovation, offering numerous challenges and opportunities for personal development. We also need to demonstrate that there’s more to our industry than building sites.”
As well as attracting people to the sector, it is also about attracting the right people.
“Insufficient applicants with the necessary level of skills to fill technical positions, leads to intense competition, with businesses forced to fish for talent in the same pond, regardless of their size.
“We need to find something that will differentiate our industry and make it appeal to potential recruits,” said Mr Clements. “We also need government input at an early stage, to help change the face of construction for children of all ages and more importantly their parents, who have a major influence on their chosen career path.
“Moreover, where initiatives have been kick started, we need to ensure they are maintained and driven through. “
The senior management team at Adonis firmly believes that employee retention is the key to success.
“We actively recruit a number of trainees each year, sponsoring them through college or university and supplementing their learning with on the job training and relevant courses. Employee turnover is a serious issue for our sector, but we’ve found that creating opportunities and nurturing skills is the best way to keep our team,” said Mr Clements.
Likewise, the industry as a whole needs to address this issue and look to give more structured training opportunities for employees. The construction industry is relatively unique in its nature, giving opportunities for less academic employees a chance to progress. In doing this, however, it needs to take sight of the more prevalent issue of a lack of structured training to support these high flying employees.
“As the UK construction sector continues to grow, fuelled by projects like the 2012 Olympics, the recruitment challenges facing our industry will only increase,” added Mr Clements.
“Construction firms have a responsibility to make the industry more appealing to the younger generation and we need to acknowledge the fact that this will require considerable time and effort.
“However with a co-ordinated effort from the whole industry; health and safety, training and career progression can all be improved upon. This will help to communicate a much more professional image, encompassing the innovation, technical expertise, diversity and opportunity at the heart of the industry.”