by Oscar Venus | 9 Apr, 2021 | Skills
Build UK, supported by CITB, joined forces with STEM Ambassadors last year to showcase careers in construction and help to attract talent. Build UK are delighted to see the commitment to recruit 7,000 Construction STEM Ambassadors included in the CLC’s Industry Skills Plan, and they encourage all Build UK members to sign up and volunteer their time and experience to inspire young people to join the industry. FIS are members of Build UK.
The CLC skills plan emphasises collaboration between industry and Government and prioritises action in four areas:
- Careers ‐ creating an industry that is attractive and inclusive, whilst supporting direct employment
- Standards and Qualifications ‐ modernising qualifications to boost transferrable skills and embed digital technologies
- Training, Education and Development ‐ developing high‐quality routes into the industry and strengthening links between further and higher education and employers
- Culture and Working Environment ‐ retaining talent in the industry through upskilling and improved career development.
Skills and Training Lead, George Swann says “Construction Stem Ambassadors are a great way of promoting the careers on offer in the finishes and interiors sector. These individuals often provide the first introduction to the construction industry for young people who are considering their future career.”
by Oscar Venus | 9 Apr, 2021 | Skills
This Summer 2021 Qualification Explainer Tool (ofqual.gov.uk) shows what’s happening with vocational, technical, and other general qualifications this year. Ofqual have identified it is not viable for some exams and assessments to take place this year due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ofqual has been working with awarding organisations to ensure that as many learners as possible are able to receive a result this summer and progress with their plans to continue their education, go into the workplace, or further their career.
The explainer tool shows how qualifications will be assessed and awarded in the period up to 31 August 2021. It covers qualifications regulated by Ofqual, Qualifications Wales and CCEA Regulation (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively). The information about how each qualification will be assessed and awarded, included in this ‘qualification explainer tool’, has been provided by awarding organisations. If you believe the information to be incorrect, please contact the relevant awarding organisation.
In addition to the information provided in this explainer tool, further details about the approaches awarding organisations are taking to the assessment and awarding of qualifications in 2021 can be found on their websites. If you are a learner outside England, Northern Ireland or Wales, you will need to check with your awarding organisation, or your college, training provider or school about the approach being taken for your qualification. More information is provided in the questions and answers.
by Oscar Venus | 9 Apr, 2021 | Skills
On 1 April nearly 400 Level 3 qualifications became free to access for over-24s without A-levels, an advanced technical diploma or equivalent. This is part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, and includes qualifications in construction trades like Occupational Work Supervision, Site Carpenter, painting and decorating and several others.
You can find out more about free courses here.
by Oscar Venus | 9 Apr, 2021 | Skills
This is another reminder to you that CITB’s consultation on the Levy Proposals 2022-25 closes on Sunday 11 April. CITB registered employers can have their say on the way they raise the Construction Industry Levy for the next three years, and give feedback on their plans for supporting construction recovery here.
FIS Skills and Training Lead, George Swann says “this is an opportunity to influence what is to come and you know what they say about not voting…if you didn’t vote you cannot complain. Let’s all vote so we all have grounds to complain”.
by Oscar Venus | 9 Apr, 2021 | Labour, Skills
In March FIS ran a snap survey to look at workforce trends in the wake of the new points based immigration system. The survey reports that 38% of companies are currently experiencing a labour shortage, with over 60% of contractors predicting shortages as work picks up over the summer. This number increases significantly when we look at the larger companies (those with greater than £5million turnover), here 59% are already experiencing shortages and 74% are predicting worse to come. Dryliners head the list of concerns followed by ceiling fixers, partitions installers, plasterers and carpenters and joiners.
The report shows that the UK finishes an interiors sector remains heavily reliant on EU workers with around half of all companies relying on EU workers for more than 20% of their workforce and 17% of firms reporting that EU workers account for more than 60% of their workforce.
The report also gives insight into employment and use of gangs and agencies in the sector. Across all contractors, 44% of the workforce is employed, 42% work as labour only sub contractors with gangs providing 11% of the contingent workforce and agency workers making up the final 3%. Again this shifts as we look to the larger (>£5m turnover) sector with employment accounting for 26% of the workforce, labour only sub-contractors 39%, gangs 30% and agency workers providing the final 5%.
Commenting on the numbers FIS CEO, Iain McIlwee stated:
“These numbers are cause for concern and we will keep our focus on supporting the rapid scale up in training infrastructure that is required to meet this seismic shift in the way we are going to need to recruit and manage our workforce going forward. We will also continue the dialogue with the Home Office to try and get some common sense applied to the process to ensure we can evolve effectively to the new world order dealing with real world problems rather than political concerns and waiting to see what the official data will tell us when the facts are staring us in the face.”
Read the full FIS Statement on Skills Shortages here
by Clair Mooney | 6 Apr, 2021 | Skills
An estimated 11 million adults now have the opportunity to gain a new qualification for free, designed to help them to gain in-demand skills and secure great jobs.
Free courses for jobs as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee’s
As part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee adults in England who are 24 and over and do not yet have A levels or equivalent can now take their first full level 3 qualification for free, building on the offer already available to 19 23 year olds. There are almost 400 qualifications available and all courses have been identified to help ensure good job prospects, focussing on areas where employers need skills and leading to job opportunities that can help adul ts earn a good wage.
Take advantage of the offer and help your staff upskill at gov.uk/free courses for jobs
The roll out marks a major milestone in the delivery of the landmark Lifetime Skills Guarantee – announced by the Prime Minister in September 2020. The Guarantee aims to transform the skills system so everyone, no matter where they live or their background, can gain the skills they need to progress in work at any stage of their lives. It will also ensure employers have access to the skilled workforce they need, and more people are trained for the skills gaps that exist now, and in the future.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “As we cautiously lift lockdown restrictions, the government’s focus is on recovering from the pandemic and building back better.
“The Lifetime Skills Guarantee is fundamental to that – with free courses giving adults the expertise they need to find new, better jobs.
“My message is clear. At every stage of your life, we will help you get the skills you need to train, retrain, and get into jobs you want and our economy needs.”
As well as the free courses, as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, thousands of adults have taken advantage of new Skills Bootcamps which offer free, flexible courses lasting up to 16 weeks covering areas including construction, digital and technical.
Skills Bootcamps – which are currently running in six areas of the country – provide a chance to learn specific skills and offer a fast-track to an interview with a local employer at the end. Skills Bootcamps will be expanded across the country later this year.
The government’s Skills for Jobs White Paper, published in January, enshrines the Lifetime Skills Guarantee – setting out landmark reforms that will realigning the post-16 education system around the needs of employers, so that people are trained for the skills gaps that exist now, and in the future, in sectors the economy needs, including construction, digital, clean energy and manufacturing.
The White Paper forms a key part of the government’s Plan for Jobs which is protecting, supporting and creating jobs across the country and will help everyone to benefit from the opportunities available to them.
