Skills

The winners of the annual Construction News Workforce Awards were announced tonight in a gala ceremony at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane. Categories showcased individual and organisational initiatives to improve employment practices and make construction a great industry to work in. The night brought together…

The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has announced changes to its unskilled worker certification in a bid to encourage site operatives to take up training. Executive director of operations Gary Mortimer said reducing how long Labourer cards are valid would encourage new industry entrants to apply instead for a ‘red…

Some 15,000 workers who hold Industry Accreditation (IA) have not yet switched to different cards, Construction News can reveal. IA cards, also known as grandfather rights, are Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards gained through employer recommendation. It was announced in March 2019 that the cards would be withdrawn at…

The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) has projected it will spend more than it earns for the third year in a row, despite a slight levy increase. The charity, which coordinates training for engineering trades across the UK, projects a £2.2m budget deficit in 2024. This follows two years…

Skills England has said the use of modern methods of construction (MMC) could be “expanded considerably” to help tackle labour shortages. The government’s new quango, set up to bring together different parts of the “fractured” skills system, released a report this week that highlights challenges for construction, including delivering 1.5…

Apprenticeships are the biggest source of social value for construction firms, according to new research. An analysis of 329 construction contracts with a combined value of £3.2bn concluded that they had delivered £860m worth of social value for the firms delivering them. The report by Social Value Portal for procurement…

An anonymous online reporting website has been launched by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) to stop contractors passing its levy onto subcontractors. The reporting tool was created to gather evidence of firms deducting payments from the wages of subcontractors without their consent. It said the tool was part of…

Unqualified applicants are routinely applying for jobs at engineering services firms, a survey has revealed. Nearly half of the electrotechnical and engineering services businesses questioned said candidates are consistently applying for jobs even though they lack sufficient knowledge or skills. The quarterly Building Engineering Business Survey found 58 of the…

This year’s T-level results for construction courses were “not positive” and showed a marginalised career pathway, according to an industry leader on training issues. Mark Farmer said that although the latest results showed an increase in students taking construction training courses and an improved pass rate, trainees and employers have…

Easier entry routes into construction are needed for young people to counter offers of work abroad, according to the head of the industry’s training board. Tim Balcon, chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), said more needs to be done to promote apprenticeships and chances of progression in…