It’s no secret that the construction industry suffers from a skills issue.
Addressing the UK’s workforce challenges to satisfy increasing demand requires joined-up thinking, sector-wide collaboration and significant investment from both Government and business.
Large organisations like NHBC obviously have a major role in this mission – hence the Home Builders Federation (HBF) launching its Sector Skills Plan earlier this year.
But what does the Plan mean for companies in construction and how can you play your part in improving capacity?
A blueprint for all
As the trade association of private sector builders in England and Wales, around 80% of all new homes in the two nations are built by the HBF’s members.
That clout and influence meant the publication of its Home Building Sector Skills Plan gained significant attention back in August.
Produced with its members and other partners, the Plan aims to provide a “clear roadmap for tackling the industry’s longstanding workforce challenges” by focusing on three key workstreams: attracting and developing an inclusive talent pipeline, futureproofing skills and competence, and resolving productivity and labour shortages.
In essence, the Plan sets out the activities the HBF will itself enact directly in its efforts to stimulate recruitment, skills development and efficiency.
But it also includes measures specifically relevant to home builders and developers who can take advantage of industry initiatives or new opportunities to support their growth.
Playing our part
As you might expect, because NHBC works closely with the HBF, we’re referenced in the Sector Skills Plan.
In fact, two NHBC offerings are highlighted as current initiatives in action across the industry that builders and subcontractors can access to grow their capabilities.
We’re supporting ‘priority one’ of the Plan – attracting and developing an inclusive talent pipeline – through our multi-skill training hubs, a £100m network of purpose-built facilities where future construction workers learn their trades in site-like conditions.
These 12 locations will support around 3,000 apprentices a year while making it easier for employers large and small alike to provide the environment, supervision and opportunities needed to pass on vital knowhow to the next generation.
Our Masterclasses, meanwhile, continue to support the Plan’s second priority of futureproofing skills and competence.
These expert-led, short-but-insightful training sessions are funded by the Construction Industry Training Board and delivered in partnership with other major bodies in the trades to share best practice and pass on experience.
More than 15,000 tradespeople have already benefited from our brickwork and roofing Masterclasses since 2019.
Together, these initiatives are playing a significant role in developing much-needed skills.
What you can do
One of the key points made in the Sector Skills Plan is the need for the whole industry – not just the Government, the HBF and its partners like NHBC – to take action.
Even small firms can contribute to addressing the skills gap by encouraging their employees to update their knowledge through training, taking on apprentices or reviewing any gaps in your existing capabilities.
Training does come with a cost, but it’s important to remember that it’s an investment in your future as well as theirs, helping to improve your quality, efficiency, safety and long-term growth potential.
Plus, the schemes highlighted in the Sector Skills Plan are each making it that much easier to promote skills development in your business.
Our Masterclasses, for example, can help you check that your teams are up to date with the latest methods in bricklaying, dry lining or roofing, while NHBC training hubs are the perfect place to immerse your apprentices in a realistic working environment that gets them ready to make an immediate impact.
As the Sector Skills Plan itself says, to meet the skills challenge we all face in UK house building, “it’s key that all parties play their part”.
Will you?
Learn more about the HBF’s Sector Skills Plan, NHBC training hubs or our Masterclasses.
