Clearview National March 2020 - Issue 220 | Page 24
INDUSTRYNEWS
A ‘clear solution’ to the skills gap
» WITH THE CONSTRUCTION
industry facing its biggest skills shortage
since 2007, it’s more vital than ever that
the industry recruits new talent to its ranks.
In fact, the Royal Institute of Chartered
Surveyors (RICS) believes that more than
200,000 skilled workers are needed by the
mid-2020s.
It doesn’t help that the industry is also
suffering from an ageing workforce. Data
from the 2011 census showed that one in five
employees in the construction industry were
aged over 55. This means that by 2020 the
industry will lose a fifth of its workforce to
retirement — without enough newcomers to
replace them.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Below,
health and safety experts 3B explores
what steps can be taken by construction
companies, and the industry as a whole,
to remove the stigma young people have
with construction and how to attract a new,
vibrant workforce.
PIQUE THEIR INTEREST
As a generation that lives and breathes
technology, there are plenty of exciting
opportunities for young people to get
involved in; whether it’s drones, 3D printing
or augmented reality. However, the industry
needs to start shouting louder about the
revolutionary technology and range of career
opportunities available to attract the future
talent it needs.
PERKS ARE KEY
Perks were once seen as a retention tool for
employers as a way to keep their employees
sweet.
Today, though, things are different., A
survey by Perkbox found that Generation
Z (your future workforce) value workplace
perks more than any other generation. 36%
claim that it can make a big difference when
choosing where to work.
Looking at the top 10 perks for Gen Z,
a common theme is that they are looking
for ways that companies can assist them
financially. Another trend seems to be a
healthy work-life balance. Though not every
business is in a position to offer flexitime,
making the effort to allow birthday holidays
and the occasional work from home day can
go a long way in attracting new talent.
24 » M AR 2020 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
GENERATE INTEREST EARLY
The key to attracting potential talent is
to target young people while they’re still in
school. STEM courses are increasingly more
popular and account for over 40% of A-level
subjects, meaning the industry has a large pool
of candidates just waiting to be signed up.
The problem, however, is that young
people simply aren’t currently
interested in construction. As
well as 90% of L&Q Group’s
respondents not wishing
to work in construction,
40% claimed that they were
worried that they wouldn’t
be good at the job. Too many
young people see the construction
industry as cold building sites and
mucky boots, without knowing about the
exciting opportunities that STEM students
could pursue.
HIRE APPRENTICES
Apprenticeships are an ideal way to spark
young people’s interest in construction, giving
them hands-on experience of what it’s like to
work in the industry. Plus, the introduction of
the apprenticeships levy in 2017 has made it
even easier for businesses to hire apprentices.
The apprenticeship levy applies to
employers in England who have an annual pay
bill of over £3m and is calculated as 0.5% of
the annual pay bill. All employers will receive
a £15,000 annual allowance to be offset
against the bill -- meaning employers with an
annual pay bill of £3m or less don’t need to
pay the levy.
Employers who fall beneath the revenue
threshold, and offer apprenticeships for 16 to
18-year-olds, will receive 100% of training
costs from the government. If they offer
apprenticeships for those aged 19 and
over, they’ll receive 90% from the
government.
Things are even better for
non-levy businesses that
have 50 or fewer staff, as the
government will even give
you a £1000 incentive towards
apprenticeships for taking on
someone aged 16 to 18.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Instead of waiting for a new generation
of workers to sign up, it’s vital that the
industry reaches out. There are so many more
opportunities to offer young people than they
realise, whether it’s as a site manager, architect
or quantity surveyor.
By showcasing what the industry can offer,
both in technological advances and workplace
benefits, construction companies can attract the
interest of young people early. This gives the
construction industry an opportunity to build
a workforce of skilled and passionate workers,
who are putting their talents to good use.
www.3btraining.com