Construction is vital to the west of England's economy
4 min read
Construction is a major contributor to the West of England economy, so we must provide the right skills to sustain the industry, says Tim Bowles
We need to fill an estimated 82,500 jobs in the construction sector over the next 20 years, according to a new report commissioned by the West of England Combined Authority and Local Enterprise Partnership.
The report shows that there are already £12.6bn of infrastructure projects in the pipeline and that the greatest demand for workers is likely to be among wood trades, electricians, plumbers and bricklayers, with more immediate needs for floorers and logistics staff.
Construction is a vital contributor to our economy, and these insights are invaluable, providing the evidence we need to deliver effective skills and training opportunities in the west of England. We are using the evidence to inform joint working with local colleges, councils and businesses to ensure that, as a region, we continue to provide the right skills to sustain the industry.
The research was put together by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) which is developing a strategy and action plan to help take advantage of opportunities in the industry. I was delighted to see the CITB’s focus on delivering future skills needs, particularly among SMEs, feature in the recently-announced construction sector deal. In support of this, I will be bringing industry and education partners together with key stakeholders to co-produce a construction skills action plan for the west of England.
Ensuring a strong and steady pipeline of talent is vital for all industries and we’re investing in training facilities across the further education sector. We used our local control over the apprenticeship grant for employers, available to us as a direct result of devolution, to increase the number of young people embarking on apprenticeships at all levels in the construction sector.
Our region is also benefiting from a construction sector Local Sector Skills Statement, funded through a European social fund programme called Skills West. It presents a series of challenges to the skills system, including the need to improve careers information and advice. We hope the government’s new careers strategy will enable us to coordinate this at a local level. We will also consider the quality and responsiveness of the curriculum in meeting the needs of the sector, which we will address in part through regional control over the adult education budget from 2019.
Equality, diversity and under-representation, particularly the gender imbalance in the sector, are further challenges we will focus on to bring about change. We’re highlighting opportunities across the sector by working in partnerships with some fantastic organisations. These include Women in Property, our National Careers Service and the Careers and Enterprise Company, including the Enterprise Adviser Network which we run very successfully in the west of England.
Bath College’s new Somer Construction Centre is a great example of how we are addressing the challenge. It will focus on full-time courses and prepare young people, apprentices and higher education students for the construction sector from traditional trades to building services and electrical engineering.
The purpose-built facility was created with £2.73m funding from the West of England Combined Authority and Local Enterprise Partnership and opened in September. New workshops are being used by 500 students and apprentices studying bricklaying, construction, carpentry and stonemasonry, as well as plumbing, electrical installation and refrigeration.
Innovation and growth doesn’t stop at administrative boundaries and we’re also working closely with neighbouring LEPs to support future innovation and growth in areas such as aerospace, energy and nuclear industries. The major new build of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station is a prime example.
And so, to the future. We will carry on working closely with the CITB, identifying opportunities to maximise construction and apprenticeship levy funding and addressing our current and future skills needs. I will work with our local and government partners to develop our skills advisory panel to ensure that all our residents, employers and the wider economy benefit from emerging opportunities.
There are exciting times ahead and we will continue to adapt and finesse our skills forecasts to recognise accelerated housing programmes, additional significant transport and infrastructure investments and the likely impact of Brexit on the availability of skilled labour.
Tim Bowles is the Mayor of the West of England. The full report is available at www.westofengland-ca.org.uk
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