Construction Skills investment boost

In what is expected to be an extremely positive boost for the industry, Skills Minister, Anne Milton, announced in June that the government has launched a multi-million pound fund, that will ultimately aid in tackling the construction industry skills shortage.

The £22 million Construction Skills Fund is specifically for the purpose of bringing effective training to construction sites themselves, allowing learners to gain invaluable ‘real-world’ experience whilst gaining their qualifications. Ultimately, this will support those wanting to join the construction industry at a much quicker rate, whilst also addressing the significant skills shortage currently plaguing the industry.

The scheme itself will run for 18 months and will be administered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). With countless construction initiatives set to begin over the coming years, outlined by the government, it is expected that 158,000 new jobs in the construction industry will be created as a result. By introducing this fund, the government has made its first steps in ensuring that these jobs are indeed created with a skilled and fully qualified workforce.

The fund will support:

• 20 on-site training hubs
• Opportunities for work experience and placements for those wanting to join the construction industry and those currently unemployed
• A pathway for those wanting to switch careers

Speaking of the fund, Policy Director at CITB, Steve Radley, said: “We are pleased to help deliver this major new project and we are confident that, with industry support, it can help meet construction’s skill needs now and in the future.”

Here at Simian, we are no stranger to providing on-site training, we believe this is a vital aspect to achieving well-rounded and in-depth knowledge of industry best practice. As a business we fully support this new fund and look forward to seeing how it will be implemented across the industry, and seeing the impact it will have on accessibility of construction training for those seeking to join the industry.

Commenting on the scheme, Adrian Mitchell, Simian’s Commercial Manager said:

“We welcome this announcement and eagerly await the imminent start of the tender process. We have expressed our interest with CITB in using this fund to establish ‘pop-up’ training facilities on large sites or to serve a cluster of smaller projects in a town or city.  

We have seen how effective these temporary on-site facilities can be to assist major projects in meeting their employment objectives. Such schemes can be effective in attracting new workers into the construction industry, helping the whole supply-chain meet their increasing skills needs and serving the local community by providing employment opportunities. In preparation, Simian are seeking to engage with construction contractors and provider partners to work in collaboration for pipeline recruitment to deliver our innovative entry level qualifications for major projects in large towns and cities throughout England*”

*funding  available only in England.

Want to begin your career in construction? Learn more about our scaffolding training here.