Industry Skills Plan for the UK Construction Sector 2021 – 2025
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Industry Skills Plan for the UK Construction Sector 2021 – 2025 CLC Industry Skills Plan for the UK Construction Sector 2021 – 2025 1 We have all experienced exceptional times, and the also used CLC’s Future Skills research1 to understand what Foreword COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the world needs to be done to prepare the industry for new ways of we live in. But we need to keep the focus on what matters working. At the same time, we have increased the reach most – retaining talent and building a solid foundation for of the Construction Ambassadors scheme by aligning it the future of the construction industry. with STEM Learning to help ensure we are nurturing the future pipeline of talent. The growing awareness of Fairness, In order to deliver what industry needs now and into the Inclusion and Respect also means we are making the future, we need skilled individuals. The Built Environment industry a better place to work, for those currently has a wide reach of sectors, so how can we ensure we have in it and those who will join in the coming years. a skilled and competent workforce across such a breadth of occupations? This is the considerable challenge we This plan will be developed into a co-ordinated group of need to break down into smaller pieces and tackle, activities that will be delivered through CLC workstreams as it is the key to unlocking improved productivity and and working groups. We will measure and report progress enabling construction to thrive and to maintain and deliver against this plan for at least the next four years. To the UK’s build pipeline. provide a short-term focus, we are tackling four priority challenges in 2021. These priorities centre around the This Industry Skills Plan is developed by industry, culture and careers within the industry, particularly how for industry. It complements our existing CLC Industry we can improve routes into the industry, as well as the Recovery Plan and moves us towards addressing the individual competence and skills required for a modern ever-growing skills gap. How our industry has adapted construction sector. However, major uncertainty still to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic shows what remains over the period covered by this plan so it will need we can achieve when working together. to adapt as it is delivered. The pandemic crisis is playing out in an industry already cast into uncertainty with The plan also highlights how skills challenges play out Britain’s departure from the European Union. across our very wide and varied industry. For example, the net zero agenda challenges us to change the game in Each year we will update on progress through the plan so how we build new buildings, but also offers a significant that bit by bit we can deliver these challenges. As ever, opportunity to the smaller firms that power the Repair, continued collaboration from all stakeholders will be required Maintenance and Improvement (RMI) sector as we gear to achieve the ambitious goals we have set out. We have up to retrofit millions of homes to meet higher made this easier by outlining clear owners and actions environmental standards. Similarly, the digital skill needs against each challenge, so everyone understands how will create totally new ways of doing things, as well as the they can contribute. Positive engagement and sector-wide potential for collectively massive efficiency gains through adoption of this plan will ensure we are able to reinvent small improvements. One example of this is equipping and transform the skills base of the construction industry. hundreds of thousands of small and micro firms in our industry with the knowledge and skills required to adopt digitalised processes and management tools. For SMEs, cloud and mobile-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software streamlines the control of workers, materials, logistics, tools and equipment – in turn driving efficiency, quality and productivity. We will build upon some of the great work we’ve achieved Sarah Beale Mark Reynolds to date. Our Talent Retention Scheme (TRS) is just one Chief Executive, Group Chief Executive, example of how we’re mitigating the skills loss within CITB and Chair, Mace and CLC, Steering construction following the COVID-19 pandemic. We have CLC Skills Network Co-ordination Group 1 CLC Future Skills Report 2019 CLC Industry Skills Plan for the UK Construction Sector 2021 – 2025 2 Contents 04 Executive Summary 05 Addressing our Skill Needs 06 Addressing our Skill Needs – Actions 08 Opportunities and Challenges 09 Introduction 10 Industry Overview 11 The Broader Opportunity 12 Future Demand 13 The Need to Address the Skills Challenge Now 14 The Core Skills Challenges 15 Post-16 Routes Into Construction 16 Attracting and Retaining Diverse Talent and Helping People to Join 17 The Skills Plan 18 Addressing Our Skills Needs 19 And Progress is Already in Motion 20 Challenge 1.1: Access for All 21 Case Study: How Ardmore Recruits and Retains a Diverse Workforce 22 Challenge 1.2: Attractiveness of Careers 23 Case Study: Building a Strong Pool of Talent for Construction 24 Challenge 1.3: Direct Employment 25 Case Study: ECA Loan Labour Scheme 26 Challenge 2.1: Routes into Industry – Apprenticeships 27 Challenge 2.2: Routes into Industry – Further Education 28 Challenge 2.3: Routes into Industry – Higher Education 29 Case Study: T Levels 30 Challenge 3: Competence of Individuals 31 Case Study: TESP Experienced Worker Assessment 32 Challenge 4: Skills for a Modernised Industry 34 Case Study: Investment in New Skills Will Ensure UK Construction Continues to Innovate 35 We Must All Play Our Part 36 What Happens Now? 37 Case Study: Supply Chain Sustainability School 38 Acknowledgements CLCCLC Industry Industry Skills Skills Plan Plan for for the the UK UK Construction Construction Sector Sector 2021 2021 – – 2025 2025 3 Executive This plan outlines how we will work together to solve core skills needs by ensuring we have the necessary high-quality training and development to build an industry that is a great place to work, Summary with clear routes of entry and progression to attract and retain talented people. Industry Overview Employment: Planned Investment: Gross Value Added (2018): and Forecast Demand 2,745,550 1 £850bn+ £200bn For more information see page 10. Standards and Training, Education Culture and Working Careers Qualifications and Development Environment Core Skills Challenges For more information Together we can create an Together we can create the Together we can enable Together we can create an industry that is attractive to underpinning foundations for high-quality routes into industry whose culture and see page 14. talent and bring those skills high-quality, transferable skills industry and development operations make it a great in through multiple routes and pathways for learning in industry to provide the place to work that retains skills needed now and talented individuals in the future Routes into Construction For more information see page 15. Study Work + study/training Employment + study Sustainable employment 1 For construction contracting and building professional services as core plan focus. Component of full built environment statistics outlined in page 10 CLC Industry Skills Plan for the UK Construction Sector 2021 – 2025 4 Executive Summary 1. Improve access to 2. Boosting all routes 3. Competence: Shift 4. Skills for a Addressing Our opportunities for all and into industry, including to focus on competence modernised industry: attractiveness of careers enhanced work experience through the development Up-skilling and re-skilling provision for those in of sector-specific in the skills that are Skills Needs full-time FE and HE competency frameworks. required to transform Ensuring both “point in the industry. This will time”, ongoing continuous incorporate focus on professional development both new technologies (CPD) and revalidation / methods, (e.g. off- of competence site), and the requisite For the first year of this plan’s lifetime behaviours, (e.g. we want to focus on the four key creativity, sustainability, areas outlined here. and inclusion) Enables Enables Enables Enables The following pages set out, for each challenge, the details of key actions that need to be achieved to 1.1 Support access for 2.1 Grow the number of Develop higher technical Skills to deliver all industry to operate a apprentices and enhance qualifications to support net zero carbon targets meet them. Case studies have been more inclusive culture to the routes to and through progression through retrofit, new build included to demonstrate the work that encourage new entrants at apprenticeships, and construction operations is already underway and the progress every stage of their career including the role of the Health and Safety: and retain skilled workers Apprenticeships Levy (AL) Improve and embed higher Deliver skills to embed that industry is already making. standards of safety practices emerging innovations within the industry and digital technologies 1.2 Make construction an 2.2 Improve the links to improve efficiency, attractive career sector between FE and employers, Modernise standards and productivity, sustainability of choice through better and the pathways from FE qualifications to deliver the and building safety development, delivery and into apprenticeships and skills our industry needs in showcasing of the career employment. Support the the future (e.g. digital development opportunities T Levels route and behavioural) our varied industry offers 2.3 Improve