Pro Installer August 2016 - Issue 41 | Page 45

PRO INSTALLER AUGUST 2016
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PRO RECRUITMENT

BRI-STOR PUTS FAITH IN APPRENTICES

Bri-Stor Systems describes its apprentices as the company’ s engineers and electricians of the future – and says they are fundamental to the group’ s success. The Staffordshire-based business, which has been offering careers since 1983, manufactures and fits bespoke light commercial vehicle conversions, working with large fleet customers such as British Gas, RAC and BT. Every year, it hires new apprentices.
The apprentices have a varied career using state of the art technology to build up experience in key manufacturing areas. Dexter Crust and Ben Wadsworth, two of the auto-electrician apprentices, described what it’ s like to learn their trade at Bri-Stor Systems. Dexter said:“ I’ ve been an apprentice at Bri-Stor for over nine months. A typical day at Bri-Stor for me involves installing electrics in various types of commercial vehicles. I fit and wire lights, beacons and sensors. My favourite part of the role is that I get to work on my own vans- I enjoy the responsibility of getting jobs done on time. In the future, I see myself as a qualified auto-electrician and working my way up the ladder at Bri-Stor.” Ben has also been working at Bri-Stor for more than nine months. He said:“ The environment is friendly and hard working with everyone focused on commercial vehicle conversions. My favourite part of being an apprentice is learning new skills whilst earning money.
‘ learning new skills whilst earning money’
When I complete my apprenticeship, I want to carry on with auto-electrics and progress my career further at Bri-Stor.” As an employer of over 400 people in Staffordshire, Bri-Stor recognises the importance of building great teams. To give its apprentices the essential skills for a career at Bri-Stor, one of the company’ s methods was to take nine apprentices out of their normal environment on a three-day programme to learn essential communication, physical and leadership skills.
bri-stor. co. uk

HOUSEBUILDERS SUFFER FROM GROWING SKILLS SHORTAGE

The housebuilding industry will need to recruit a million more construction workers if the UK is to build enough homes by the end of the decade, according to specialist recruiters Randstad.
The business made its comments following the announcement of the final results of Telford Homes Plc, the London focused residential property developer. Telford commented in the results that there was an ongoing housing crisis and a clear imbalance between the supply of homes and the needs of a growing population. Owen Goodhead, managing director of specialist recruiters Randstad CPE commented:“ Housebuilders are bearing up under a sea of adversity – battling on despite a growing skills shortage
. For businesses like Telford, well-worn worries about building enough homes aren’ t just theoretical restraints. This industry has always been about competing for contracts, grappling with deadlines and struggling for a profit. Now, battling for the right people can be added to that list.“ Headline numbers demand action on training. Our own research shows that if the United Kingdom is to build enough homes by the end of the decade – a monumental challenge of doubling total output to 300,000 homes per year – then the entire industry will need to
‘ the entire industry will need to recruit a million more construction workers. That means finding hundreds of thousands of bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers and planners. It means filling 30,000 quantity surveyor jobs and finding 28,000 architects’
recruit a million more construction workers. That means finding hundreds of thousands of bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers and planners. It means filling 30,000 quantity surveyor jobs and finding 28,000
architects. Within these huge totals, there is a day-to-day exertion to fill jobs with skilled people – and housebuilders are struggling.“ Other issues matter too. Planning and materials shortages also
cause delays. But the serious question is increasingly‘ who?’ will build enough homes, beyond the often-simpler‘ where’ and‘ when.’ For Telford Homes these headwinds may be manageable, but – just as for anyone looking for a home in which to live – there is a danger that a skills shortage could become more of a hurricane than a headwind.”
Further information on research cited here from Randstad CPE’ s‘ Age of Housebuilding’ report is available online: https:// www. randstad. co. uk / cpe / age-of-housebuilding /