Carney commented "I think this is a very good report which sums up what is needed by us, as an industry, to help close the skills gap, highlighting, collaboration between industry bodies such as CLC (Construction Leadership Council) people and skills group, local and central government, education sectors and organisations such as CITB, which are vital.
However, I believe on a local level we, as an industry, should also start to ensure collaboration with other groups such as regional committees of The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), Constructing Excellence, Federation of Master Builders, and National Builders Federation, to name but a few.
Changing the image and increasing diversity is, for me, the absolute key.
In my opinion, our sector must realise that in many cases young people are influenced by their caregivers or parents. So, when we talk about changing the image of the industry, we need to change it for everybody, not just for the young people. Especially as there are older people aged 24 plus who are coming into the industry as well, so we need to change it across the board.
The younger generation may have more than two or three careers in their lifetime, so if we want to attract people not just at 16- 18, then we need to change the image of the sector.
A recent advert I saw summed up the perception of construction for me, it chose construction sites and showed them, in a clip, as wet, cold and muddy. This, admittedly, is sometimes how they are but not 365 days of the year!
We need to change this and show the positives of the industry, across-the-board, in everything. The Armed Forces is an example of good PR and marketing, showcasing people and positively highlighting career routes which, in turn, helps to increase recruitment. So, why are we not doing this?
There are numerous managing directors within the trades who started out at the bottom of the ladder and worked their way to the top. So, why are we not promoting this on a national level?
We don’t highlight enough the vast array of opportunities and different job roles that are in this amazing industry. So, as I say, this report is a summary of the changes and areas that need to be addressed to resolve our industry skills shortage. My hope is government and the other organisations this has gone to, take on the recommendations, as this is a sector that hugely contributes to our national GDP. If we don’t address the areas highlighted, this will not continue to be the case".
Angela Carney, managing director at Carney Consultancy and director at Carney CDM, has worked in the construction industry for over 32 years. She is a board member of Constructing Excellence in the North East, vice chair of Northern Counties Builders Federation, co-chair of the North East branch of Working Well Together, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC-NE) and the Lighthouse Club Construction Charity.
The Report: Building the Construction Operational Workforce of 2023 can be read in full here
