The construction industry is struggling from a skills shortage and with Brexit looming it isn't known what further impact this will have on the UK workforce.
Traditionally the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has been seen to provide the industry with a qualified and professional workforce from apprentices through to upskilling existing employees. Levies were paid by registered companies dependent on numbers of PAYE and self-employed workers and grants were issued on successful provision and achievement of training plans.
Having historically worked for SME's, this was a great way to affordably recruit and train employees with a large lump sum paid at the end of each financial year (dare I say even hugely profitable in some instances).
Changes over the past couple of years has seen over-complexity of the scheme and increasingly there have been calls for reform. I would hate to see the scheme to fold completely but I would agree that there needs to be a better way for the skills gap to be addressed and managed in the immediate future.
I would urge all constructions firms whether large or small to have their say before it is too late (29 September 2017).
The parallels between the EU referendum and the construction industry’s consensus are clear. In one camp, you have the voters who believe a decision to vote against the future of the CITB would be a leap in the dark, and a reformed CITB is what is needed if the construction industry has any chance of overcoming its skills challenges. In the other camp you have those that feel the time for change is upon us, and the failings of the CITB have proven that firms are better placed to confront the skills challenges the construction sector faces.
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