A new agreement signed by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Department for Work and Pensions will enable thousands of people to benefit from on-the-job training and career opportunities in the construction sector. Roles ranging from project managers to bricklayers will be made available to jobseekers thanks to the agreement, which will mean Jobcentres working more closely with the construction industry to offer work experience and tailored placements to meet the need of employers and people looking to start a fulfilling career.    The agreement, signed earlier this week at the newly-launched Green Plant Academy at the Earls Court Skills Centre, is a major step in the Government’s drive to get Britain building and get Britain working as part of its Plan for Change.    More than 40,000 industry placements will be funded through a further £100 million from the government, alongside a £32 million contribution from the CITB. It comes as the Deputy Prime Minister co-chaired the first Construction Skills Mission Board earlier this week with Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council. Alongside Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, Skills Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Industry Sarah Jones, and several CEOs and sector leaders – including CITB CEO Tim Balcon – the Mission Board launched an industry commitment to recruit 100,000 more construction workers per year by the end of the Parliament. This will be a step-change for the construction sector, creating good jobs across the country to deliver on government’s housing and infrastructure commitments, including building 1.5 million homes over this Parliament and delivery of the 10-year infrastructure strategy.   Ministers will highlight major reforms to transform Jobcentres as well as the £625 million investment to tackle skills shortages in the construction sector – expected to create up to 60,000 more jobs for engineers, electricians and joiners by the end of the parliament.  Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: “Building 1.5 million homes takes investment, skills, and a government that’s ready to roll up its sleeves to deliver. And that is exactly what we are doing. Our Plan for Change commits to delivering the biggest boost for affordable and social housing in a generation, which we’ve backed with a £39 billion investment over ten years.  “We’re working hand-in-hand with industry to recruit thousands more workers into skilled construction jobs, and thanks to our Make Work Pay reforms we will ensure these jobs are more secure and better rewarded.”  Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: “I am determined that our young people have the best start in life. To do this we must give them the tools they need to get ahead. This agreement, alongside our record funding will do just that. Our welfare reforms will see the biggest investment in a generation to support disabled people into secure, well-paid work. Our Plan for Change will deliver the jobs, homes and opportunities we need to build a stronger and more prosperous Britain.”   Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “The construction sector is on the frontline in our mission to grow the economy, giving more people skilled jobs building the homes and infrastructure we need. Through our Plan for Change we are determined to break the link between background and success, so that more young people can get on in well paid careers.  “The Construction Skills Mission Board will make sure we hear directly from employers about what their skills needs are, driving our reforms and helping more young people achieve and thrive.”  Tim Balcon, CITB CEO, said: “Opportunities in construction are for everybody, whatever their background. By working together, we can widen the talent pool, bring in more diverse voices, and encourage more people to consider a career in construction.  “Every year, over 100,000 people receive construction training. I want many more of them to forge lasting careers in the sector. This is why the partnership with DWP is so vital, as it helps ensure individuals are not just trained but truly prepared for careers in construction.   “The Government commitment to addressing the housing shortage, improving the country’s infrastructure, and investing in construction skills mean this is a real boom time for our industry.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

One of the UK’s fastest growing principal contractors has pledged to boost spending on its Early Years’ Talent Academy as part of its 15th anniversary celebrations.  Inco Contracts, which has offices in Cannock, Cardiff, Stevenage and Warrington, is increasing its investment to £150,000 per year to help fight the growing skills gap facing the construction sector.  This will encompass an even more comprehensive programme, offering apprenticeships, on-the-job learning, formal qualifications and one-to-one mentoring from its senior leadership team.  It has been specially designed to attract individuals into the sector and, importantly, retain existing talent who are being tempted into different opportunities. By offering acceleration of their personal development and career path they can clearly see their future at Inco Contracts.  The Early Years’ Talent Academy has been a resounding success so far for the business, with six young people trained from the basics into highly skilled professionals with some already progressing into managerial positions.  “Skills are a growing issue for our sector and our ability to grow. Rather than stand still, we decided to take positive action and create our own training programme,” explained Operations Director Sam Norton, who led the MBO with Managing Director David Cotterill in 2020.  “This has been a fantastic initiative for attracting young talent to join us as a fledgling contractor and we wanted to further renew our commitment to this. Our 15th anniversary felt like the perfect opportunity to extend it by increasing the funding to £150,000.” He continued: “We provide real project-based experience from day one, setting us apart from our competitors, with a progression pathway aligned with their personal goals. There is also company-funded education at College or University in place to deliver the best all-rounded team member. “Annual growth is running at around 20% and we can’t completely rely on the existing labour pool if we want to maintain this level of expansion. Growing our own talent is the preferred option to address the skills shortage and I’m delighted that we have given our proven scheme an ‘anniversary boost’.”  Inco Contracts is a specialist in industrial, commercial and education refurbishment schemes across the UK, completing hundreds of projects every year.  These often tend to be turnkey in nature and involve the company working alongside architects, designers, and landlords to bring warehouse, educational establishments and office space back to life or to the required modern-day standards.  Services provided range from industrial roof and cladding, dilapidation schemes and external groundwork packages to building services, M&E installations, strip-outs and demolition, not to mention heritage and conservation work.  Beyond the Early Years’ Talent Academy, the business also offers CPD for all of its 55-strong workforce as part of a regular 6-month appraisal scheme.  This clearly defines a personalised action plan to further support their role and provide upskilling opportunities.  Managing Director David Cotterill, added his support: “It’s well documented that the construction industry has been experiencing skills shortage issues for some time, so it’s crucial that we deliver talent from the ground up. “By doing this we’re helping address the ‘gap’ and create opportunities for people who might otherwise be overlooked by the sector. Our goal is to make construction more accessible, modern and rewarding. In a tight labour market, the companies that invest in people will be the ones that continue to thrive.” Harry Merrick was one of the first people to be enrolled into the Inco Contracts’ Early Years Talent Scheme, joining as Trainee Contracts Manager in 2020. He progressed to Assistant Contracts Manager just twelve months later and quickly secured his Level 3 BTEC in Construction and the Built Environment, before embarking on a five-year HNC in Construction Management at Birmingham City University. The 21-year-old from Walsall has made equally impressive strides in the workplace, recently leading a tender that secured a near £1m industrial refurbishment project in Nottinghamshire. Harry, who is also hoping to achieve Chartered status with the Chartered Institute of Building, commented: “I’d recommend this scheme to anyone entering construction. I’ve had a clear pathway from day one and lots of mentoring from experienced professionals that has accelerated my practical knowledge. “My sights are now set on the next step in my career, which will be the Contracts Manager role and then who knows…maybe one of the senior management team. Working with an independent contractor has fast-tracked my development in this sector.” Inco Contracts is planning several special events and announcements through the year to tie in with its 15th anniversary, which officially takes place in July.  For further information, please visit www.incocontracts.co.uk or follow the company across its social media channels.  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals