The City of Liverpool College (COLC) has renewed its alliance with long-term partner and Heating and Hot Water Products Manufacturer, Worcester Bosch, as part of its commitment to providing first class training for the next generation of engineers. Recognising a need for more collaboration between industry and training providers, Worcester
The Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) has been praised by Ofsted for creating an inclusive learning environment, which allows apprentices to “develop and flourish.” Inspectors who visited the TICA training facilities over three days during October rated it as ‘good’ across all five areas: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour
More than 600 students of all ages and over 200 industry professionals attended Foundations Live 2022 – one of the north of England’s biggest construction, trade, networking, and careers events. Despite the torrential downpour, exhibitors, trades people, students and teachers were all able to keep dry and explore more than
One of the world’s leading experts in wellbeing has endorsed the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Working Minds campaign, highlighting the importance of targeting smaller businesses. Professor Sir Cary Cooper joined HSE Chair Sarah Newton on HSE’s latest podcast to mark the first anniversary of Working Minds, where they discussed
A Cornish construction and professional services consultancy is helping young people start their careers in construction through apprenticeships and work placements. In its social value report released earlier this year, Mace Ward Williams Joint Venture (MWJV) revealed that from February 2021 to February 2022 it welcomed 15 new apprentices across its
Work on the £30m #BuiltByGMI helicopter logistics hub on behalf of aerospace giant Leonardo Cements continues to move at a pace, with the site’s progress marked by the industrial partners’ next generation workforce cementing their hands into the floor. Team members from GMI, real estate developer Graftongate, Leonardo and its
For more than two decades, Scandic has been developing its future leaders within the Group through its internal Talent@Scandic leadership program. Recently, 24 talents from the company’s five markets were selected to undergo seven months of intensive skills training led by industry representatives, mentors and leadership development managers. Each year,
Soben is delighted to announce a new partnership with University Technical College (UTC) Heathrow which will see their people provide a CoTeach programme of learning based on the data centre sector as part of UTC Heathrow’s Digital Futures Programme. Soben’s consultants will be delivering modules on the principles of cost
Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect, said: “At the height of the pandemic in 2020, almost 80,000 construction workers were jobless. However, new data shows that the situation has vastly improved in recent months, and the sector’s unemployment rate is now at its lowest level since records began
With 266,000 extra workers needed within the construction sector by 2026 according to the Construction Industry Training Board, employers are being urged to use apprenticeships as a vehicle to home grow the people they need – a tactic that is reaping dividends for Polypipe Building Services. The Kent-based drainage system
The City of Liverpool College (COLC) has renewed its alliance with long-term partner and Heating and Hot Water Products Manufacturer, Worcester Bosch, as part of its commitment to providing first class training for the next generation of engineers. Recognising a need for more collaboration between industry and training providers, Worcester launched its College Links Learning Scheme in 2007 and has since worked closely with leading colleges across the country, including The City of Liverpool College, to increase skills, expertise and value in the market. The COLC prides itself on being a leader in training in the energy sector, green technologies and supporting the drive towards Liverpool City Region’s green agenda. This new partnership will see the COLC working collaboratively with Worcester to develop a bespoke training area with industry leading equipment, including emerging green technologies, for current and future engineers to train on. Last year, the UK committed to a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – a target which will require new technology and industry changes across a number of sectors, including heating and hot water. Worcester has led the way in the creation of green technologies – such as the nation’s first fully functional boiler system that runs on 100% pure hydrogen gas – making the partnership a natural progression for both organisations. The focus of the partnership is to train students and apprentices in current and future technologies, while also supporting those in industry to reskill and upskill, using high-class equipment. James McCawley, Deputy Head of Apprenticeships at The City of Liverpool College, said: “We’re delighted to be renewing our long-standing partnership with Worcester Bosch. Over the lasttwoyears, we have worked closely with the company to train and upskill the industry’s current and future talent and we look forward to developing our training offering together as the country moves towards greener technologies. “The partnership will ensure the very highest of standards in training for the region’s future engineers, while also providing Worcester Bosch engineers with access to the facilities and enable them to learn about new and existing products.” Worcester has donated equipment to the College’s training area, including new boilers, air source heat pumps, indoor immersion unit and an unvented cylinder for the use of its apprentices and engineers. College students and Worcester staff will have access to the state-of-the-art equipment to stay up to date with the latest technology, legislation, industry developments, fault finding and best practice. The COLC students will also benefit from learning opportunities with Worcester staff through guest speaker sessions and industry insights throughout their course duration. Ewan Sutherland, National Training Manager at Worcester Bosch, said: “I am delighted with the progress made at The City of Liverpool College to date. “The College is reputationally strong in green technologies and the energy sector, with a clear vision and ambition of adapting to green technologies. Its responsive nature to industry needs makes it the ideal partner for Worcester to collaborate with as we work towards a greener future and continue to create a highly skilled workforce. “The training facility at the College is a fantastic space for apprentices, engineers, and employers in which they will be able to keep right up to date with all the latest industry developments.” For more information on opportunities at The City of Liverpool College, visit: https://www.liv-coll.ac.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) has been praised by Ofsted for creating an inclusive learning environment, which allows apprentices to “develop and flourish.” Inspectors who visited the TICA training facilities over three days during October rated it as ‘good’ across all five areas: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and apprenticeships. TICA, which formed in 1957, provides access to the best industry training for levy-funded apprentices throughout the UK at its National Training Centre in Darlington. At the time of the Ofsted inspection, it had 153 apprentices enrolled on its apprenticeship programmes – 43 on the Level 3 standard for industrial thermal insulation technicians, and 110 on the Level 2 standard for commercial industrial thermal insulation operatives. The report said that the training is conducted in “very well-resourced workshops” with trainers, many of whom are time-served thermal insulator technicians, while describing the level of practical work produced by apprentices as “very high.” It praised the trade member organisation for designing a “well-planned and sequenced curriculum” that ensures apprentices build up strong skills over time. The report added: “Leaders have achieved this by working closely with employers to devise bespoke training that meets the principles and requirements of the apprenticeship programme. “Employers benefit from and are right to value the training that their apprentices receive and recognise the positive contributions that apprentices make to the business.” Apprentices attend training on a residential basis for two weeks every three months which, the inspection team said, “allows them to be taught substantial new knowledge and skills while working on projects with like-minded committed apprentices.” It added that: “Trainers support apprentices well” and provide “effective feedback” on the quality of their work and should an apprentice be identified as struggling, they receive “effective additional support.” It concluded that the programme leaders have created “an inclusive environment in which all apprentices are able to develop and flourish.” Marion Marsland, chief executive of TICA, said: “I’m delighted that the inspectors acknowledged our high standards, excellent training facilities, and the effectiveness of our programmes that allow apprentices to quickly gain both practical skills and valuable technical knowledge. “It is also gratifying to note that TICA has developed an effective curriculum that promotes a positive and supported attitude to learning. I hope this Ofsted rating further highlights the exceptional training we provide and encourages more apprentices into the industry to help solve an historic skills shortage.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
More than 600 students of all ages and over 200 industry professionals attended Foundations Live 2022 – one of the north of England’s biggest construction, trade, networking, and careers events. Despite the torrential downpour, exhibitors, trades people, students and teachers were all able to keep dry and explore more than 80 exhibition stands inside the huge arena at Bishop Burton College in East Yorkshire. Hobson & Porter, the event’s main organiser, was joined by the likes of Beal Homes, Vinci Construction, Keepmoat, Balfour Beatty, Spencer Group, Jewson, Dulux, British Gypsum, and Plasmor. In addition to all the schools, colleges, and training providers from across the region, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and representatives from Talentview Construction were also on hand to help people find first jobs, apprenticeships, and work experience opportunities. David Blades, SHEQ director at Hobson & Porter, said: “It was great to see Foundations Live back in action and in full force for the first time in three years due to the pandemic. It proved to be our biggest and most successful event to date. It was the perfect environment for those working in construction and engineering to network and find out about the latest sustainable and technological developments, as well as get information on how to access grants and funding. “With hundreds of young people of all ages engaging with our exhibitors and interactive activities, we were also able to showcase what wonderful sectors construction and engineering are, and hopefully help to address some of the current skills shortages the sectors are facing.” According to the CITB 19,000 extra workers need to be recruited to meet expected levels of work over the five-year forecast period. Ms M Joshi, from The Market Weighton School, said: “It was a very productive morning and the students have all enjoyed it. With practical tasks that have given them hands on experiences, as well as excellent businesses to talk to, students have been able to engage in really productive and informative ways that will no doubt help them when making their career choices.” Exhibitor Alicia Bowyer, from Synthotech Ltd, said: “We work with Northern Gas Networks and came to showcase some of the technology we use when servicing their pipes. We brought our robot with us that has a camera and sprays a flexible sealant inside the pipes to fix cracking joints. The kids loved it and were really enthusiastic asking loads of questions. We are part of the innovation team and it’s great to get in front of the next generation and explain what we do.” Sarah Cooper, from Northern Gas Networks, said: “It’s the fourth time we have exhibited at Foundations Live. One year we brought one of our sniffer dogs that spots gas leaks, which was really popular and this year we brought the hydrogen car with us. These kind of events are great for us as we get to chat to people about the huge variety of careers available – you don’t have to be a gas engineer to work for us!” Mike Hutchinson from window firm, Fakro, said: “We have been before, and each year take a larger stand! It’s a really good event where we get to speak to joiners, carpenters and builders and companies like Jewson about our window products. The students have all been engaged and interested in how we manufacture and install our products and we can’t wait for next year!” Sharon Tallett, from Bishop Burton College, said: “What a great event! I have had invaluable conversations at Foundations Live, particularly about sustainability. Everyone has been so friendly and informative, and I have made some great industry contacts too.” TV host Mark Millar also returned to the event as Foundations Ambassador. Mark is an experienced project manager who runs a successful building firm in Bristol and is the presenter of Channel 5’s primetime series Dream Kitchens And Bathrooms He’s also one of the most recognised faces on BBC One’s DIY SOS and he’s passionate about developing the talent of the future and promoting the construction industry as a career to the next generation. Foundations Live will take place next October 2023, for more details visit www.foundationslive.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
One of the world’s leading experts in wellbeing has endorsed the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Working Minds campaign, highlighting the importance of targeting smaller businesses. Professor Sir Cary Cooper joined HSE Chair Sarah Newton on HSE’s latest podcast to mark the first anniversary of Working Minds, where they discussed the value of good mental health, the impact work-related stress can have on staff and how employers can spot the signs of stress. A frequent contributor to national newspapers, TV and radio, Professor Cooper has written more than 450 scholarly articles for academic journals and is the author/editor of over 170 books. Professor Cooper teaches organisational psychology and health at the University of Manchester and received a knighthood from the Queen in 2014 for his contribution to social sciences. HSE’s Working Minds campaign encourages employers to start to tackle work-related stress and to talk to their staff and take steps to support employees with their mental health in the workplace. Its main aim is to raise awareness of stress and the impact it has on mental health of workers and businesses. Professor Cooper said: “A lot of the bigger companies since the financial crisis of 2008-2015, have really treated stress at work and wellbeing much more seriously, much more strategically. There are now directors of health and wellbeing in many of the big companies and public sector bodies. Indeed, the NHS have – every hospital in the NHS has a non-executive director on its board who’s responsible for employee health and wellbeing. The real issue, and I think why this campaign is a really important one is for the SME sector, small and medium sized enterprises, because they don’t have big HR departments, chief medical officers, and so on.” HSE’s research highlighted that many employers are unaware of their legal duties or how to spot the signs of stress. In response, Working Minds looked to develop networks to promote the legal duties by encouraging employers and workers across all sectors of the economy to sign up as campaign champions. The campaign also has a series of partners who work with HSE to highlight issues around work-place stress and its impact on mental health. HSE Chair Sarah Newton said: “Most employers will understand that it’s their responsibility to think about the physical risks, the physical health concerns that people can have at work, but what they don’t often realise is they have an equal responsibility to the psychological wellbeing of their staff. So, part of our campaign is to remind employers of those legal responsibilities. They do have a duty to do risk assessments of their employees for both physical and psychological risks to ill health, and then to provide them with the toolkits to enable them to assess the risk and then manage and mitigate the risk.” Working Minds encourages employers to promote good mental health in the workplace through collective behaviours and forming habits using the 5 Rs: Reach out, Recognise, Respond, Reflect and make it Routine. To listen to the full podcast with Professor Sir Cary Cooper click here: One year of Working Minds: podcast with Prof Cary Cooper – Work Right to keep Britain safe To become a Working Minds champion click here: Working Minds – Champions – Work Right to keep Britain safe Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A Cornish construction and professional services consultancy is helping young people start their careers in construction through apprenticeships and work placements. In its social value report released earlier this year, Mace Ward Williams Joint Venture (MWJV) revealed that from February 2021 to February 2022 it welcomed 15 new apprentices across its projects with Cornwall Council using local businesses. It has also facilitated 16 work placements and delivered 45 careers events to help inspire the next generation who want to help shape and deliver an improved built and natural environment for the county. A joint venture between Mace and Ward Williams Associates (WWA), MWJV is supporting Cornwall Council on the Built Environment Professional Services Framework, which includes a range of public sector construction and infrastructure programmes. Outreach through in-school events, career fairs, apprenticeship programmes and working closely with colleges and universities has resulted in many students being able to take the first steps in a career in construction. Year 10 Mounts Bay student Ivy Kirk is one of those who has engaged with the scheme through a week-long work placement covering such skills as cost management, project management and design. She discovered the opportunity after an in-school presentation by the MWJV team which helped to break the preconceptions about the construction industry being male-dominated and limited to on-site roles. Alice Taylor is another who joined WWA as a project management apprentice this July. Alice, who is 21, found her start in project management after volunteering at a Covid-19 testing centre before quickly progressing to leading teams and helping with the mobilisation and demobilisation of sites across the South West as a Roaming Deputy Manager. She now works supporting WWA across various projects in Plymouth and with MWJV on its carbon impact and reduction programmes across Cornwall. Alice said: “My time within the Covid-19 testing programme gave me a wealth of experience within management and a huge boost in confidence. It was also important to me that I was helping to make a difference during the pandemic. The experience gave me an insight into project management and confirmed that this was something I wanted to pursue. “I wanted to continue academic studies alongside employment, and a degree apprenticeship seemed like a fantastic opportunity for me. Thanks to WWA, I am on a five-year apprenticeship scheme, working towards gaining a BSc in Construction Management and aspiring to become chartered. I am very grateful to WWA for providing me with a wealth of opportunities and experience in project management within the built environment, as well as the chance to work on some great initiatives like the carbon reduction programme to support our B Corp status.” Newest addition, 17 year old Tobi Crowther, began his T Level apprenticeship with WWA this month in Truro as part of his Design, Surveying and Planning course at Truro & Penwith College. Commenting on the role, Tobi said: “I’m still very new to the team but am having a great time getting stuck in on some practical projects to help support my classroom learning. “I still don’t know what path I want to follow in this sector and the apprenticeship has already given me the opportunity to try lots of different things to see what I like best, whether it’s project management, quantity surveying or something else. “The large-scale community projects like the Boscawen Park development as part of Truro Town Deal with MWJV have been really interesting and exciting to get involved in. It’s great to work on something that I will actually see and take advantage of as a local.” Through the scheme, MWJV is also attempting to improve the awareness of the opportunities in the sector outside of the major cities. In January 2023, trainee Sam Currell will join the company as a Level 7 quantity surveying apprentice, putting his maths degree to good use. The company will be sponsoring Sam’s continued education in the form of a master’s degree. MWJV’s work with the council has also directly resulted in 95 new full-time jobs and £34.9 million created in social value. The full report is available to view and download here. More information on MWJV is available on its website: http://mwjv.net/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Work on the £30m #BuiltByGMI helicopter logistics hub on behalf of aerospace giant Leonardo Cements continues to move at a pace, with the site’s progress marked by the industrial partners’ next generation workforce cementing their hands into the floor. Team members from GMI, real estate developer Graftongate, Leonardo and its logistics partner Kuehne+Nagel all came together at the state-of-the-art facility in Yeovil as work moves to the next stage of construction before practical completion of the entire hub. Charlea Boucher, Project Officer at Leonardo Helicopters UK, cemented her hands into the ground of the 210,000 sq ft single-site logistics hub to symbolise the project’s nod to the future. “It has been amazing to see the rise of the single-site logistics hub during the final year of my business graduate placement at Leonardo in Yeovil,” said Charlea, who is a fourth-generation employee at Leonardo, now working on the AW149 New Medium Helicopter campaign programme. “My great-grandparents worked on-site a few generations ago in engineering, so it’s great that this investment in the site is future proofing Yeovil for years to come as I embark on the next stage of my career here at Leonardo.” Highlighting the construction’s commitment to future generations, is the development’s focus towards sustainability through a number of eco initiatives. Rainwater harvesting tanks for brown water services, full LED lighting throughout the facility and a heat recovery system in the main warehouse have all been included in the build. Additionally, there will be a bank of electrical vehicle charging points for employees and a new fleet of electrical vehicles. “The project has had its challenges, but we are where we are now thanks to the teamwork and collaboration between all parties involved,” said GMI Senior Project Manager Glenn Reeves. “Given where we are situated at the end of Leonardo’s campus, we had to take a number of things into account in relation to the surrounding area, and it was a big demolition job from the outset. “The first third of the operation involved clearing the site of the old buildings and addressing known areas of ground contamination that were highlighted during extensive pre-construction surveys. “We have maintained close communication with Leonardo on a daily basis as well as the local community and local businesses – keeping them updated with the progress that we are making.” Enthused by the number of apprentices working on the scheme, Glenn added: “We’ve been very fortunate to have had half a dozen apprentices on-site and it’s an area of the industry which Leonardo Cements and ourselves are particularly passionate about. “It’s good to see and we’re really keen to continue pushing this through the various trades.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
For more than two decades, Scandic has been developing its future leaders within the Group through its internal Talent@Scandic leadership program. Recently, 24 talents from the company’s five markets were selected to undergo seven months of intensive skills training led by industry representatives, mentors and leadership development managers. Each year, Scandic’s Executive Committee identifies the focus areas and projects that Talent@Scandic participants will delve into based on the company’s strategy and direction. In this year’s program, projects will have an overall commercial and HR focus. The talents will also receive training in project management, financial knowledge and commercial, leadership and operational development as central parts of the leadership segment. Additionally, they will be matched with mentors from Scandic’s organization to increase familiarity and guidance during the duration of the program. – I’m extremely proud that for more than 20 years, we’ve had such a great focus on and commitment to knowledge and leadership development at Scandic. Developing and nurturing our team members lays the foundation for how our company feels and performs and creates strong, effective leaders. Together with the Executive Committee and our leadership development managers, I am convinced that this year’s talents will go far at Scandic and that in the future, they will continue to stand firmly during both ups and downs, says Jens Mathiesen, President & CEO of Scandic Hotels Group. Now more than ever as we experience major shifts in the world around us, it is of the utmost importance to develop skills and continue our extensive work to shape the leaders of the future. Training is an area where we invest significant amounts of time and energy to create the right conditions for people to succeed within the company and as leaders as well as personally. We’re now offering these talents a smorgasbord of knowledge and in seven months, we’ll have 24 new employees prepared to take on leadership roles at Scandic, says Maud Samuelsson, Group HR Manager, who is responsible for leadership development at Scandic Hotels Group. The Talent@Scandic program is built on Scandic’s leadership compass and the concepts Empower, Build trust, Inspire and Collaborate, the basic principles of the company’s leadership development. This year’s Talent@Scandic participants: NorwayAmalie Heitman, Acting General Manager, Scandic SvolværAndre Bjerke, Front Office Manager, Scandic SjølystChristopher Spencer, Food & Beverage Manager, Hotel Norge by ScandicIeva Marcinkeviciute, Housekeeping Manager, Hotel Norge by Scandic Mareike Friemel-Haukebö, Hotel Manager, Scandic Seilet Martine Brusletto Stenberg, Food & Beverage Manager, Scandic Sjølyst Nora Aasprong, Accounting Manager, Country Support Office Norway FinlandAnna-Pauliina Urjo, Front Office Manager, Hilton Helsinki-Vantaa Airport Antti Viitasalo, Hotel Manager, Scandic Jyväskylä Station Ida-Riikka Tanhuanpää, Food & Beverage Manager, Scandic Park Helsinki Sami Lyly, Head Chef, Marski by ScandicTuomo Laaksonen, Director Corporate Sales, Country Support Office Finland GermanyMelanie Konopka, Food & Beverage Manager, Scandic Frankfurt Museumsufer DenmarkPatrice Boman, Hotel Manager, Scandic Palace Hotel Patrick Nielsen, Restaurant & Bar Manager, Scandic Falkoner Stine Wiis, Front Office Manager, Scandic Sydhavnen SwedenAnna Koivisto, In-house Sales Manager Group & Meetings, Country Support Office SwedenAnna Larsson, Food & Beverage Manager, Haymarket by ScandicAnnie Dahlstedt, Service Team Manager, Scandic WinnCaroline Björnlund, Service Team Manager, Scandic Örebro Central Claes Benediktsson, Food & Beverage Manager, Downtown Camper by ScandicKarin Bjerenius, Service Team Manager, Scandic Portalen Marica Nivelt, Hospitality Manager, Scandic Grand CentralVegard Fjärvoll, Service Team Manager, Scandic Upplands Väsby Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Soben is delighted to announce a new partnership with University Technical College (UTC) Heathrow which will see their people provide a CoTeach programme of learning based on the data centre sector as part of UTC Heathrow’s Digital Futures Programme. Soben’s consultants will be delivering modules on the principles of cost management, the importance of planning, and whole-life costing. Award-winning global construction consultancy Soben joins an elite group of data centre organisations including Ark Data Centres, Amazon Web Services (AWS), CBRE Data Centres, CNet Training CyrusOne, LMG, Virtus Data Centres, and Yondr Group. Developed in collaboration with leading industry companies, the Digital Futures Programme allows students to gain the essential knowledge and skills needed to thrive in technical careers within the data centre sector. This sector is currently experiencing substantial growth, which is only set to continue but is facing an ongoing skills shortage. This programme is helping to future-proof the industry by inspiring a new generation to join it and enjoy a rewarding career. The annual Digital Futures Programme intake is limited to 100 students at age 14, and 150 students studying the Level 3 engineering curriculum. Younger students will compete in industry-led Challenge Days, develop employability skills, and receive masterclasses to bring subjects to life, alongside studying for their GCSEs. Meanwhile, older students will complete team projects within the curriculum and benefit from building impactful relationships with industry professionals. Students will leave UTC Heathrow with a BTEC Level 3 National Diploma/Extended Diplomas in Engineering (NQF). Scott Smyth, Soben’s founder and Group CEO, commented: “I am thrilled that Soben is a partner of the fantastic Digital Futures Programme and is a testament to the role we play in the global data centre sector. “The skills gap is not getting any smaller or easier for the digital infrastructure industry to manage and we need to work collaboratively to find innovative solutions to quickly address these issues. “The students at UTC Heathrow need clear direction and support to inspire a new pipeline of young and skilled talent to help them secure a career within a sector that offers huge opportunities and rewards. I am very happy we can play a part in that.” Candace Rose Kumi, Employer Engagement Lead at UTC Heathrow, said: “After an incredible first year of the Digital Futures Programme, I am excited that Soben has joined our programme. “With this additional partnership, UTC Heathrow will be able to deliver more CoTeach programmes which will help our students build the skills needed for the fast-growing data centre sector.” Soben’s Managing Director of Consultancy EMEA, Derek McFarlane, commented: “Last year’s launch of the Digital Futures Programme gives students a distinct advantage to develop a career in the data centre sector and clearly shows that the UTC education model has real value. “For Soben to be involved with the Digital Futures Programme, alongside the blue-chip companies that are already onboard, is a huge milestone for us and perfectly illustrates the exciting growth journey we are currently on.”
Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect, said: “At the height of the pandemic in 2020, almost 80,000 construction workers were jobless. However, new data shows that the situation has vastly improved in recent months, and the sector’s unemployment rate is now at its lowest level since records began in 1995. “In fact, at 36,000 (June-August 2022), the number of people out of work in the industry is now less than half of what it was two years ago. It’s also 11,000 fewer than the last data period (May-July 2022), and down 27,000 year-on-year (YOY). “Furthermore, job vacancies in the sector are on the rise, so the number of employed workers could increase further. Between July and September, there were 45,000 listings advertised, which was 1,000 more than the previous quarter, and 1,000 more than this time last year. “Compared to 2021, there is seemingly more work available too, as the average number of hours worked each week is higher. Twelve months ago, construction employees typically did 36.1-hour weeks, but that has now risen to 36.3. “Accordingly, earnings are also considerably greater. In construction, average weekly income now stands at £692, which is £29 higher than last year, while in the electricity, gas and water supply sector, weekly wages are now at £767, up £40 YOY. “These pay increases must be interpreted in the context of the current Cost of Living crisis and rocketing inflation rates. The recent statistics indicate that salaries have increased approximately 4% vs. this time last year, however current inflation rates sit at around 9%. Tradespeople are fuelling Britain’s growth, and salaries must continue rising to help offset soaring living costs in order to attract more professionals to the sector. The new data suggests that the industry is in a fairly healthy position to be able to support its workforce moving forwards, however there’s still more to be done.” For more information on IronmongeryDirect, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/ For more information on ElectricalDirect, visit: https://www.electricaldirect.co.uk/
With 266,000 extra workers needed within the construction sector by 2026 according to the Construction Industry Training Board, employers are being urged to use apprenticeships as a vehicle to home grow the people they need – a tactic that is reaping dividends for Polypipe Building Services. The Kent-based drainage system company has found success using apprenticeships not only as a means of attracting new talent into the company and giving people their first step on the career ladder, but also to support staff looking to upskill or change roles. Luke Pollington and Kim Gleadhill are among 12 apprentices currently at Polypipe Building Services, after the company began taking on apprentices to drive a transfer of skills and knowledge which support the growth of the business. Luke began working at Polypipe Building Services in 2019. Having recently left university where he studied Business Studies and Marketing, he’d never considered that construction would offer him a role in digital marketing. He said: “Working here has changed my view of construction, as I never thought something like drainage would involve subjects like Building Information Modelling (BIM) or Research and Development (R&D) and I’ve found it really interesting. “On the digital side it’s opened my eyes in terms of how different learning the theory has been to actually doing it in practice. When you apply it in the real world there’s so much more to think about and having a team around to help you makes a difference. Kim Gleadhill decided to make a career switch following lockdown moving across to Polypipe Building Services from the water industry as an HR & Payroll Coordinator. She attends college one evening a week and has a half day a week devoted to her studies to complete her HR apprenticeship and diploma course. She said: “Training is supported here and there is a learning culture. I began my course in January and I get a lot out of studying, as there are 10-15 other women on the course and we talk about the different ways of doing things which helps you to look at things differently and not get too set in your way of doing things.” Andy Cullum, managing director at Polypipe Building Services said investment in people is key to growth and success at the company, as well as being essential to retention and in creating a workplace culture that recognises and values new ideas. He said: “We are a proud member of The Genuit Group 5% Club – which means we aim to have at least 5% of our workforce in sponsored training, graduate schemes or apprenticeships at all times. “Apprenticeships are a great way for businesses to foster a culture of continuous development through a mixture of on the job training and a structured college courses which allows people to apply their skills as they learn them. “Not only does it help our employees feel valued and more confident in their work, but as a business it helps us to maintain high standards, as well as develop and grow from the fresh ideas they bring back to Polypipe.” For more information about careers at Polypipe Building Services go to https://www.polypipe.com/careers-hub
