42 | JULY 2017
Skills
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
TRAINING IS THE FUTURE
Mark Allinson is a carpentry and joinery lecturer at Leeds College of Building - the UK’s only specialist
further education construction college. Pro Installer spoke to him about tackling skills shortages.
1. Can you tell us a bit about
your professional background
and how you came to be
in your current role? 6. What is being done
to address the skills
shortage and recruitment?
(government help etc?)
I left school at 16 and went straight into
an apprenticeship as a bench joiner. After
serving my time (including attending Leeds
College of Building) I went on to work for
other joinery companies covering a vast
range of work including shop fitting/site
joinery and even a stint at cabinet making.
As I got older, the body started to tell me it
was time to think about something a little
less strenuous. My wife is a lecturer and
suggested it might be an option. I applied
to Leeds College of Building and got the
job! I know the government is trying to
promote apprenticeships and currently we
have 16 apprentice groups just in Carpentry
& Joinery alone (across three year groups).
Larger construction companies are now
much more proactive in employing appren-
tices and that will benefit the industry in
the years to come.
2. What kind of activities are
you engaged in at the college,
in, say, a ‘typical’ week?
A ‘typical’ week consists of teaching
around 27 hours - I oversee three groups
from 1st to 3rd years - and all the paper-
work that goes with it.
7. How are shortages
impacting on the industry,
‘on the ground’?
I know it has been difficult for many
companies to find quality skilled labour.
Overseas workers are helping in the short
term but we need more apprentices to
come through the system for the future of
the industry.
3. What is your view of the
current climate in building/
construction? What are the
main issues/challenges?
Going by the huge develop-
ments in Leeds now I would
say the construction industry
is certainly on the up. Short-
age of skilled workers does
seem to be an issue though.
4. Can you give us
your own summary of
the ‘skills shortage’ in
UK construction? We are
told it is spreading throughout
construction trades.
About five years ago, the construction
industry went into a bit of a recession. As a
result, there were very few apprenticeships
available and the industry wasn’t a very
attractive option for school leavers. This has
left the industry understaffed now things
have picked up again.
5. Why is it that many young
people are not considering
a career in construction?
I do not think the industry promotes
itself well enough in schools. I get the im-
pression from our full-time learners that the
construction industry is the last option for
some of them.
8. Can you give us any examples
of the accomplishments/
achievements you are most
proud of at the college?
We work with a number of learners who
have not had the best of times at either
home or school. Some come with low
self-belief, no confidence and poor social
skills. I know it sounds a bit of a cliché but
if I have contributed in them achieving a
qualification or apprenticeship I know I am
doing something right. When learners finish
their 3rd year, shake your hand and say
thanks……. that’s a happy time.
9. What do you see as future
developments in the industry?
Training and more training. Health &
Safety is paramount in the construction in-
dustry and it has changed beyond recogni-
tion from when I worked on site.