by Iain McIlwee | 2 Oct, 2020 | Main News Feed
The Prime Minister has unveiled new plans to expand the training and skills system, which will see adults without an A‐level or equivalent qualification entitled to a free college course in England from April 2021. Greater flexibility will also be given to higher education loans to encourage take up of vocational courses by both young people and adults. But as written they will miss the mark for construction.
In the plan, the Prime Minister announced that apprenticeship opportunities will also be increased, with more funding for SMEs taking on apprentices, and greater flexibility in how their training is structured – especially in sectors such as construction and creative industries where there are more varied employment patterns. The pan will be backed by continued investment in college buildings and facilities, including over £1.5 billion in capital funding, and more details will be set out in a white paper later this year.
The plan sets out to reverse an ongoing decline in technical qualifications – in 2000, over 100,000 people were doing Higher National Certificates and Diplomas, but that has reduced to fewer than 35,000 now. Those doing foundation degrees has declined from 81,000 to 30,000. As a result, only 10% of adults hold a Higher Technical Qualification as their highest qualification, compared to 20% in Germany and 34% in Canada.
Speaking about the announcements, FIS CEO Iain McIlwee said “the capital funding elements to college is certainly good news, but as written, many occupations in the construction sector, certainly those working in the Finishes and Interiors Sector will not benefit directly. Funding is targeted at those starting a Level 3 qualifications, but those progressing to Level 3 tend to be assessed through the vocational qualification route, following introduction through a Level 2 option. We will be raising this point with Government and looking at how we can work through our Approved Training Provider Network to see how we can leverage some of the support, we are going to need all the help we can get given recent announcements about immigration that are going to leave a concerning shortfall in competent people available for construction works.”
For full details of the announcement click here.
by Clair Mooney | 25 Sep, 2020 | Main News Feed
FIS has recently entered a new partnership with NBS focussed on knowledge exchange and better collaboration. To highlight the potential we jointly hosted an event that interrogated a typical fit-out project and looked at the challenges and practicalities, questioning whether greater collaboration is a pipe dream or becoming a reality.
It was a fascinating debate and we’d be keen for it to continue. We welcome your views on how we can, together, improve our supply chain.
You can access a free recording of the debate “Deconstructing Fit-out: Is greater collaboration a pipedream? here
This was followed by a workshop that focussed on the process of specification sales in an environment where architects and designers adopt more and more technology and digital solutions to assess, develop and protect specifications. We discussed how to position your product and influence the different people involved in the decision making process.
by Oscar Venus | 25 Sep, 2020 | Main News Feed
The results of the first industry‐wide People Survey, carried out by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) in June and reported in Retaining Talent in Construction, helped to secure funding for the Construction Talent Retention Scheme. To understand the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the construction workforce, the CLC has launched a second People Survey. Another great response from all sectors of the industry will help to prioritise the support required by construction employers between now and the end of the year.
Please complete the online survey which should take no longer than 10 minutes by Friday 2 October. The information provided will be confidential with no company details required.
by Clair Mooney | 25 Sep, 2020 | Main News Feed
In an earlier email this month, CITB informed employers of their latest Levy Proposals, which they are proposing should be used in the Levy Assessment to be raised in August 2021. As well as a cut in Levy rates by 50% for all employers, the proposals will also mean that an extra 5,000 small employers will no longer have to pay any CITB Levy.
These rates will be applied to the information you provide in your 2020 Levy Return (covering 6 April 2019 – 5 April 2020), which you’ll receive for completion at the end of this month. All Levy Registered Employers have a requirement to complete this and submitting your Levy Return by 30 November 2020 allows you to access our 2020/21 Grants Scheme and ensures that any outstanding grant payments can be made.
If you have any questions on how to complete your Levy Return, please contact CITB on 0344 994 4455 or email levy.grant@citb.co.uk. You can also complete your return online here.
by Clair Mooney | 25 Sep, 2020 | Main News Feed
A report setting out the learning and assessment experiences of more than 1,000 apprentices has been published today. The 27 members of the Institute’s panel of apprentices, who represent the views of learners to apprenticeship policy makers, have
reported on the responses and published recommendations for change. This is accompanied by the Institute’s analytical
data report and tables.
The documents show that even with the COVID-19 outbreak, 87% of apprentices surveyed said they would recommend their apprenticeship to other people wanting to train in their occupation. Most also believe (81%) they have been equipped with skills enabling them to adapt to future developments within their industry, while 82% felt satisfied their apprenticeship had laid the foundation for a successful career. For more information please see Institute for Apprenticeships Survey.
by Iain McIlwee | 25 Sep, 2020 | Main News Feed
Fire Door Safety Week exists to stamp out the legacy of fire door neglect and to educate on the importance of fire door safety. To launch this year’s campaign, the organisers have shared research into the state of fire door maintenance, inspection and replacement programmes across local authority owned and managed housing in the UK.
Over half (52%) of UK local authorities responding to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request reported delays to planned fire door maintenance and replacement in the first half of 2020. The number rises to 60% when inspection delays are also factored in.
According to the data obtained from 147 local authorities that own and manage their own housing stock, at least 26,318 fire doors were scheduled for maintenance or replacement between January and June 2020, but 16,580 did not progress – meaning 63% of individual planned works were delayed until at least the second half of the year, affecting a minimum of 9,954 individual properties.
In addition to delays to maintenance and replacement in the first half of the year, 31% of all responding local authorities stated their fire door inspection programmes were delayed, affecting at least 12,596 fire doors.
Not all responding local authorities provided reasons for delay, but over half (53%) of those experiencing delays cited COVID-19-related restrictions, including limited property access and availability of contractors due to social distancing guidelines. However, it was positive that several local authorities proactively mentioned that emergency repair works to fire doors continued throughout the lockdown period to maintain the safety of residents.
Of those local authorities that experienced delays, 65% intend to commence works by the end of the year. This signals that the majority recognise the importance of properly fitted and maintained fire doors. However, worryingly 31% of local authorities stated that they are yet to define a date for recommencing the planned works.
The findings follow an open letter from the London Fire Brigade to all housing providers in the Capital urging them to put plans in place ahead of new fire safety legislation coming into effect. The letter strongly advises building owners to consider the risks of existing fire doors in their fire risk assessments, regardless of the height of the building.
Fire’s don’t stop – it’s time to prioritise fire doors
It’s clear COVID-19 has understandably impacted on service delivery across a variety of sectors, but fires don’t stop. With the UK lockdown period forcing many people to spend more time at home, people without fit for purpose fire doors have been put at risk. There is a need for continued and urgent focus on ensuring the safety of all building occupants whether in local authority or privately-rented accommodation, workplaces or other building types.
Whilst we have focused upon local authority owned and managed housing stock, we strongly suspect that our insight reflects the wider market. We hope that through this years’ Fire Door Safety Week, we can draw attention to these important issues and encourage all with responsibility for fire doors to take urgent action across fire door maintenance, inspection and replacement.
When it comes to fire door inspections, fire doors can become damaged at any time, especially where they are frequently used. If a damaged door goes unidentified it cannot perform its life-saving role. Like previous years, this year’s Fire Door Safety Week campaign will emphasise the importance of regular inspections, carried out by trained and competent professionals.
A wealth of fire door information and guidance is available free of charge from the Fire Door Safety Week Toolkit, including the Fire Step Fire Door Check, which easily helps to identify fire doors that are not fit for purpose.
Download the Fire Door Safety Week Report here
