Commissioned by LSC Suffolk

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Commissioned by LSC Suffolk

• A Research Study into Construction Skills in
  Suffolk
• Prepared by Genix
• March 2007

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Key objectives

• The key objectives of the project were to
  identify what perceived skills needs exist within
  the construction sector in the county and to
  attempt to evidence future demand.
• It also looked at the local provision of
  training in the county and the demand for such
  training, from both the perspective of trainees
  and employers.

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Conclusion 1

• There is a plentiful supply of labour
• In the sector though much of it is not
• of the quality regarded as appropriate
• by employers.

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Creating Prosperity for AllImplications

• Employers need to be encouraged to work with
  providers to raise the quality and skills base of
  Suffolk construction workers or potential
  workers.
• Opportunities can be created for meaningful
  dialogue and greater links between learning and
  doing.

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Conclusion 2

• Policies towards funding of training
• are too heavily focused on lower level
• qualifications.

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Prosperity for AllImplications

• The Foundation Learning Tier, encompassing lower
  level
• qualifications, will be encouraged in order to
  give accessible
• Progression routes, but an equal emphasis is
  needed to
• access to higher level qualifications for the
  sector to retain
• local staff, particularly with small businesses.

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Conclusion 3

• There would appear to be a
• disconnect between supply and
• demand for training with supply
• seemingly controlling the skills
• training agenda at present.

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Prosperity for AllImplications

• Young people securing places train in
  construction trades coming leaving College with
  qualifications but limited on site experience
  thereby requiring significant costly support.
• Many smaller employers do not view these young
  people as sound investments and may choose to
  subcontract work and fill the gaps with migrant
  labour.

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Conclusion 4

• There appears to be adequate
• Training capacity though what is
• being offered is not always
• necessarily in alignment with industry
• needs.

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Prosperity for AllImplications

• Poor skills base, and those with higher levels of
  skills leaving Suffolk. Average earnings in the
  local economy remain amongst the lowest in the
  country.
• Why would highly skilled people stay in Suffolk?
• Who supports the newly qualified, who nurtures
  the talent?

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Conclusion 5

• There needs to be a greater
• promotion of the sector in schools in
• order to encourage suitable young
• people to join the industry.

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Prosperity for AllImplications

• Volume of training places is not cited as a
  problem, but the quality of candidates is.
  Aptitude and attitude for the job is an issue.
• Greater work with Schools to promote construction
  trades to higher level candidates and positive
  career choices to progress in vocational
  learning?

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Conclusion 6

• For more women to be encouraged to
• join the sector, efforts need to be
• focused at the lower (ie entry) levels
• rather than supervisory levels.

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Prosperity for AllImplications

• An opportunity to increase the labour pool but
  issues regarding the connection between
  qualifications delivered by providers and what
  employers feel they need, and the balance between
  classroom and workplace, need to be addressed.

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Conclusion 7

• There would appear to be a need for
• strategies to incentivise employers to
• take on more apprentices, especially
• young people.

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Prosperity for All Implications

• Why are so few Suffolk employers involved in
  training and developing young people?
• Small companies and one-man bands are not set-up
  to cope with the demands of the evidence that is
  necessary for assessments and find that once
  qualified, many workers will become
  self-employed.

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Conclusion 8

• Over the next 5 years the greatest percentage
• increases in skills demand are forecast to be in
• Non-construction operatives, bricklayers,
• Building Envelope Specialists and Painters and
  
• Decorators.

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Prosperity for AllImplications

• An opportunity to increase the labour pool but
  requires increased investment in the Further
  Education sector to support growth in learning,
  matched to employers skills needs.

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Conclusion 9

• There appears to be a need for a
• greater connection between what
• employers want and what is provided
• by mainstream training providers.

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Prosperity for AllImplications

• A workforce that has high skills levels
  appropriate for the needs of local employers and
  skills that are needed to support the needs of
  our community.
• An opportunity for change dialogue, greater
  collaboration and involvement from employers at
  all levels?

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Conclusion 10

• There are broader issues arising
• regarding the targeting of vocational
• training in order to better meet
• industry needs and to be of value in
• terms of public expenditure.