No one in the construction sector wants to complain about the size of the commitment the Government has made to invest in housing but, a week after the announcements, the sector is now asking how on earth are they going to deliver with the limited numbers of skilled construction workers.
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimates that the overall number of extra workers needed for the 2025–2029 period is 47,860 per year, which is equivalent to 1.8% of the 2024 workforce. This means the UK construction industry needs to recruit the equivalent of 239,300 extra workers over the next five years.
What is the sector doing?
Matthew Pennycook has written to all registered providers, as well as the housing sector as a whole, saying that the Government's package demonstrates that the Government are playing their part in addressing the housing crisis, but that they now need housing providers to play theirs to "rededicate [themselves] to realising [their] core purpose and to gear up to maximise delivery and build the high quality social and affordable homes our people so desperately need". However, gearing up for a major new build housing programme and capital investment programme isn’t going to happen overnight.
The Housing Forum, a cross-sector industry-wide organisation that represents the entire housing supply chain, have identified that the skills shortage will become more acute. The Housing Forum’s members are already aware of a variety of new skills that are needed across the whole housebuilding and renovating sector – from designers and planners, to construction workers and experts teaching residents how to use new technology.
The Thrive Academy
Thrive Academy, the Places for People training skills initiative, are tackling the problem head on. The Academy is addressing the skills shortage through offering flexible apprenticeships, short courses and organisational development. Thrive is exclusively for those within the housing sector, and delivers relevant, values-led learning by experts in the sector.
Currently, final preparations are being made to welcome apprentices employed by many of the national and local registered providers in September. Thrive are focusing not just on construction skills to build new homes, but importantly the skills needed to repair and maintain existing homes. Apprentices are released for a week from their current jobs working for direct labour organisations within the registered provider, to learn the trades of plumbing, carpentry, electrics, plastering and decoration, plus the soft skills needed to communicate with customers and work sensitively within customers' homes. The communication required to spot problems within a customer's home outside the immediate task, such as damp and mould, and supporting the landlord to tackle customers concerns, is invaluable and rebuilds that personal rapport which digital communication has often undermined.
Other skills focused initiatives
A number of not-for-profit organisations are also trying to tackle the skills crisis. The Construction Youth Trust is a social mobility charity that connects young people to employers and opportunities in construction and the built environment. The Save Construction Initiative is an industry-driven taskforce influencing the stability of the UK construction industry, who are trying to rebrand the sector in their campaign "Not Just Men & Muddy Boots". Design Engineer Construct is an award-winning accredited learning programme that introduces architecture, engineering and construction into classrooms.
We need more intervention and industry commitment to move the dial on skills supported by Government.
