In this latest #BuildACareerWithoutLimits column for Builders’ Merchants News (BMN) our Livery highlights the urgency of attracting new talent into the industry, and the important role of apprenticeships and training in encouraging and retaining a new generation of workers.
There is a lot of focus on the construction industry at the moment. Most of it is concentrated around the issues of high demand, rising costs, and material and skills shortages. The supply chain is stretched and the current workforce rapidly requires new hires. Arguably, these are nice problems to have considering the extent of unknowns our industry was facing last year.
However, while the pandemic hit retail and hospitality particularly hard, construction was one of the few allowed to stay open as Government acknowledged the importance of our industry to the wider UK economy. It was a significant breakthrough and one that has since triggered strong and sustained activity across home improvements, new build and infrastructure sectors. For young people and those made redundant in other industries by COVID-19, it’s an opportunity to promote our sector as a safe and promising career move.
Getting new talent in – and keeping the skills we have – is tough going and takes time. Figures from the industry training body CITB are a sobering reminder of the growing skills gap and the urgency to fill it. The construction sector will need to recruit 217,000 new workers between 2021 and 2025, mainly due to an ageing workforce and the shortage of younger talent coming through to replace them. In the past we have relied heavily on the EU to plug some of the gap, but with Brexit and Covid, the number of European workers in the industry has been cut by more than 70,000. It’s vital therefore we build our own pool of talent, and fast.
Earn & Learn
The Government’s new initiative to pay businesses £3,000 for every trainee has provided a welcome boost to the number of apprenticeships on offer, with nearly 19,000 vacancies available this summer. The figure is an all-time high and four times more than the same period last year. It perhaps shows how young people are choosing an apprenticeship over a costly university place, and why not? Apprenticeships offer a golden opportunity for young people to study and earn money while getting hands-on work experience. More importantly, these enthusiastic young people quickly become an asset to your business.
Reinforcing all the great reasons for working in our sector is important, but so is demonstrating how learning and development is supported by quality training programmes that help individuals achieve their potential. Ultimately, we want those joining, re-joining or switching to our industry to stay and progress within it, and spread the word.
Last year, WCoBM confirmed bursary support to the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) to give individuals and businesses the opportunity to train and develop skills across diverse roles in the building materials sector. The means-tested grant is available to applicants who need extra financial support for their training or studies, and is worth up to £2,000 per person. The bursary is currently available for dedicated BMF courses such as Essential Sales Management and the Diploma in Merchant Management where funding will cover up to 80% of the total cost.
More recently, WCoBM also committed financial support to the BMF’s e-Learning modules. Available through the Cortexa Merchant Network and the BMF Campus, these online training modules are dedicated to boosting product knowledge and helping merchant teams make the most of selling opportunities in their business. A short knowledge check at the end supports the learning, with an 80% pass rate required in order to complete the assessment and be awarded a certificate of achievement. Currently, four BMF merchant members are lined up to benefit from the funding and the online learning.
Recognition & achievement
At the Company’s annual City & Awards luncheon, BMF students are recognised for their training and study achievements. The last one in March 2020 saw George Donnelly of C & W Berry receive an award for the ‘Best Performing BMF Diploma Student’, with the highest overall average score over nine modules. Adam Ryan of Andrews Building Supplies was presented with the ‘Best Online Student’ prize. Both have continued to progress strongly in their roles and respective merchant businesses.
While the pandemic turned our worlds upside down, it did create a defining moment for construction. With a wealth of job opportunities and the chance to train, learn new skills and advance your career, the builders’ merchants’ industry is an attractive proposition for young people entering employment for the first time, and for those switching career paths. However, training and development is a vital cog to attracting and keeping great talent so the industry continues to thrive.
WCoBM is a charitable organisation and its support for training and education is one of the Livery’s key objectives. Bursary applications are open to apprentices, employees working with a stockist or manufacturer of building materials’ or students coming out of full-time education. Funding is subject to approval of application and can be used towards any course or training programme that is related to a role in merchanting or building materials supply.
If you know someone who could benefit, share this link: www.wcobm.co.uk/about/build-your-career
You can also catch this article in Builders Merchants News – September issue, page 20.
#BuildACareerWithoutLimits.
