Skills

Stephen Tomkins is Balfour Beatty’s project director at Hinkley Point C The UK’s energy market stands at a critical juncture. As the country accelerates its transition towards renewables, the demand for skilled professionals has never been greater. However, the industry faces an undeniable challenge: a widening skills gap that threatens…

James Farr, director at post-16 skills and training consultancy Think  In the construction industry, facing complex challenges is part of the daily routine, whether it’s managing budgets, navigating supply chains or ensuring a project is built to the highest standard. But there’s another pressing puzzle that must be solved to…

Mark Leeson is operations director at consultancy McBains Will the government’s recent defence-spending boost provide ammunition to help spark construction’s recovery? To say recent construction industry forecasts have been downbeat would be an understatement, what with consultancy Arcadis’ market-view report predicting a painfully slow revival and market analysts S&P Global’s…

Lucie Wright is head of careers strategy at the Construction Industry Training Board Apprentices are the lifeblood of the industry. This is particularly true for SMEs: six in 10 construction apprentices are employed by businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Those employers would be some of the hardest-hit by a…

Chris Acton is chief executive of engineering firm Clancy Consulting The new Labour government has hit the ground running with numerous pledges that aim to “rebuild Britain”, as chancellor Rachel Reeves recently said. “The 32 new Homebuilding Skills Hubs will see an investment in local training that is tailored to…

Heather Holbrook is a partner at consultancy Thomas & Adamson, part of Egis Group Construction has never enjoyed the best reputation as a career path. Last year, research found that 69 per cent of UK adults wouldn’t consider a career in the sector, rising to 77 per cent among respondents…

Director Nicola Hodkinson says changes to employers’ NI and the minimum wage will not help the skills crisis Nicola Hodkinson is not happy.This April brings a double whammy of costs for contractors, with increases in both employer national insurance contributions and the minimum wage. In her first Budget announcement last…

Mark Farmer’s review of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) was released today (30 January). In an interview with Construction News, he explains his recommendations, and why improving quality is important in driving up the number of people employed in construction. You recommend a merger between the Engineering Construction Industry…

Thomas Vandecasteele is managing director of contractor and property developer Legendre UK The construction industry across Europe is undergoing a dynamic period of change, driven by the need to address economic shifts, rising material and labour costs, and project delays. In the UK, the pressure is mounting, with a projected…

Balfour Beatty is looking to train a new generation of overhead power workers to meet a glut of work in the energy transmission sector Though not quite in the clouds, I am very high up, thinking about the tensile strength of steel and the significance of each of us in…