Carving out a new career in construction

The construction industry is crying out for skilled workers, with 2021 statistics from CIBT revealing that more than 210,000 UK construction jobs need filling by 2025. Yet while the opportunities appear to be there in the job market, unemployment is in truth rising in certain cities.

Construction can be a physically and mentally challenging career yet, by the same token, a personally and financially rewarding one. Skills training in this arena enables unemployed adults and jobseekers to learn a fulfilling new trade, increase their confidence, and re-enter employment.

Often, however, people are being propelled back into the work environment when they are not actually job ready. The coronavirus pandemic and many associated factors have affected people detrimentally over the past few years, knocking confidence levels and causing anxiety, especially with regards to face-to-face interaction and changes to the working environment.

Another issue for people seeking new work is the time it takes to complete a skills training programme, with many courses ranging from 12 to 18 months. There are solutions out there though. Tailored crash courses that cover the fundamentals of construction, providing a short yet structured pathway into this booming industry.

These intensive hands-on courses can be undertaken over the course of two to six weeks and involve practical work such as building brick and block walls, creating cavity walling, setting out and building masonry structures, constructing wood working joints, and applying paint, foundation, plain papers, and decorative wallpaper.

Here at the Skills People Group, we offer short, fully funded construction skills courses that are held in our dedicated workshops, with the intention of helping 19+ adults learn new skills to encourage them to reenter employment, alongside a route to gaining their Green CSCS Card.

Within our academies we teach them the techniques and technology involved in the three core areas of construction – bricklaying, joinery, and painting and decorating – and the relevant health and safety practices. Even how to develop their CV. Ensuring that learners don't skip a step and are ready for work so that the job is sustainable.

These specialized courses, which are held in the East Midlands, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North-West, and South-West England, allow our students to increase their confidence and competence when applying for jobs, with the opportunity to progress to further learning via an apprenticeship or NVQs through our Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) programmes once employment has been secured.

To support our academy learners, we pay ￡40 a week to cover expenses, provide them with food and refreshments throughout the course, and PPE which is theirs to keep. No matter what their background, experience, ability, everyone is welcome that it is looking to forge a new career in the construction industry.

You can learn more about the Skills People Group here, which provides links through to our academies, qualification delivery routes, and commercial training courses.

Reference:

Britain builds back: Construction will need 216,800 new workers by 2025 to meet demand. Available at: https://www.citb.co.uk/about-citb/news-events-and-blogs/britain-builds-back-construction-will-need-216-800-new-workers-by-2025-to-meet-demand/ [accessed 09/03/2022]