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Skilled, safe, sustainable:
Strategies for training and recruiting in construction and maintenance
Nicola John, Managing Director of FDM – Training & Development, explores the key facets companies must consider in addressing the skills gap in construction and maintenance, focusing on the importance of responsible training and recruitment practices.
Last year, the Construction Industry Training Board forecast that 252,000 extra construction workers will be required by 2028 to meet industry demand. This offers great opportunities, but also plenty of risk: companies can’ t afford to cut corners with their training in an effort to recruit the people they need. After all, the skills gap has plagued the construction and maintenance industry for far too long.
The Grenfell tragedy illuminated the risks of siloed working practices and incomplete fire safety knowledge. The Hackitt Report further underlined the widespread lack of competency, recommending a move towards the“ golden thread” principle of digitised product information. Although promising steps
are being taken, raising safety standards nationally remains a big issue for the industry to tackle.
But macroeconomic challenges, including the cost-of-living crisis and hike in National Insurance contributions, are making it much harder for businesses to plan for expansion. Unfortunately, this may also exacerbate the skills gap – particularly if training and recruitment are sidelined. This is not a risk businesses can afford to take.
Skilled and safe
Firms have a duty to ensure their workforce is skilled and safety conscious. The best way to accomplish this? A long-term commitment to training opportunities boosting competency and promoting continued development. Training is not a tick-box exercise: it verifies that your employees are working safely and complying with legislative requirements.
This is why the importance of hands-on learning cannot be overstated. While online-only training is beneficial for distance learning and refreshing theoretical knowledge, it is not as well-suited to teaching practical people how to do practical
60 NOVEMBER 2025 CLEARVIEW-UK. COM