Notice Board
standards is constantly changing. Businesses are responsible for keeping their teams updated on changes to legal requirements, so they can strategise on how to exceed standards and make the industry safer for everyone.
Ensuring workforce sustainability through recruitment
By embedding comprehensive training measures into your workplace culture, you won’ t just be upskilling your current workforce: you’ ll also attract new talent. The BBC’ s 2025 Bitesize Careers survey found that, for almost a third of the more than 4,000 teenagers surveyed,“ opportunities for training and development” would make a workplace most appealing. A quarter of respondents wanted to undertake an apprenticeship, while a job in construction was one of the top ten most-desired careers. The appetite is there: we just need to harness it.
With the recent focus on paths into vocational careers – including the introduction of T Levels, and the rise of AI highlighting the importance of jobs that can only be done by humans – there has never been a better time to engage the next generation. Offering apprenticeships for under-25s closes the skills gap by training people on the job, and it reduces companies’ National Insurance contributions. It’ s a win-win.
Businesses should also be establishing relationships with schools and colleges
offering vocational courses, such as the newly announced Construction Technical Excellence Colleges, to establish a long-term pipeline of potential new recruits. By engaging young, enthusiastic professionals, we can ensure the sustainability of an industry that is skilled and working safely.
Looking forward
Businesses must demonstrate their steadfast commitment to responsible training and recruitment practices to address the skills gap. It’ s no longer enough to simply say the right things: you must lead the way with tangible actions to upskill your workforce.
By ensuring your employees’ competency in fire safety and beyond, you can provide the groundwork for the next generation of construction and maintenance professionals to flourish. The result? Safer working practices, construction sites, and built environments for us all.
www. fdmltd. co. uk
OCTOBER 2025
17
Issue Takeover locksmithjournal. co. uk