Skills plan launched to help industry close skills gaps and reach net zero

A plan to support the net zero challenge and get young people into high-skilled, well-paid jobs has been launched by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC).

In its new Skills Plan, CLC highlights how much the construction and built environment industry has to offer society, while providing solutions to short and long-term challenges in England.

Construction is a major engine of the UK economy, employing 2.7million people and contributing 8% output to the economy. But it also faces a major skills shortage, with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimating an extra 225,000 workers will be required across the UK from 2023 - 2027.

To tackle this shortage, while supporting net zero goals, CLC’s Skills Plan focuses on four main priorities: culture change, routes into construction and built environment, competence and future skills. This includes meeting employers’ demand for skilled workers, training and retaining people, ensuring competency, expanding the career appeal of construction and built environment, while also training experienced workers to become teachers.

As part of the Skills Plan, CLC has developed a range of projects for 2023-24, including:

• The launch of a new competence approach to ensure there is an accepted, accredited definition of competence for all construction and built environment occupations.
• Expansion of the new entrant apprenticeship brokerage service and introducing a new apprenticeship mentoring standard to increase apprenticeship starts, continuation and completions.
• The launch of Phase 1 of the Career Pathway Hub, an online portal aimed at defining high value career pathways for net zero, digitalisation, smart construction and repair maintenance and improvement.
• A pilot scheme to give schoolchildren a chance to learn about a career in construction

Adrian Beckingham, CITB Strategy and Policy Director and Co-Chair of CLC People and Skills Network, said: “Construction will be at the forefront of arguably the biggest challenge – supporting the transition to net zero – which makes our industry a career of meaning and value.

“At the same time, we have a pressing need to attract and support new entrants into the industry. This new Skills Plan by CLC will tackle these challenges by creating opportunities to get young people into high-skilled, well-paid jobs, while encouraging workers to adopt modern, green skills across the globe.”

Nick Roberts, Chief Executive of Travis Perkins plc and Industry Sponsor of CLC People and Skills Network, said: “I'm looking forward to helping the whole of our industry support the CLC in the delivery of this plan. “Partnering for skills is paramount. This means employers of all sizes investing in people, improving industry’s working culture and attracting new talent for future skills demand.”