Page 43 - Regional Employment & Skills Plan 2019

2. A vast amount of knowledge and experience could leave the sector within a number of years with fewer professionals of the same calibre available within the workforce to fill these positions. For context, on a UK level the Construction sector has an increasing number of workers aged over 60 and has seen the biggest reduction in the total workers under the age of 30. The impact therefore, could be significant.44
An increased effort to positively promote the sector and the opportunities it presents by careers, advice and guidance practitioners, schools and the industry itself could mitigate the issue.
The cluster group feel a ‘PVA45’ approach would be beneficial, this would include a series of school visits utilising the CITB curriculum support initiative and offering placements and mentoring to those studying level one courses in the region. This would strengthen the industries position in the region, alleviating recruitment issues and promoting the sector in a positive light to young people both males and females.
Work-readiness
Only 24% of respondents indicated that they felt new entrants to the sector were ‘work-ready’. According to employers the majority are lacking the work experience (62%) or the skills (60%) that they desire.
A significant issue for employers is the lack of practical skills acquired by learners as part of their full time further education qualification. More specifically, the lack of ‘live’ on-site training is felt to be detrimental to the learner, the employer and the industry as a whole. This is consistent with the findings of a qualification review conducted by Qualifications Wales, in which they stated;
• ‘the current offering for this sector is complex, with repetition and unclear progression routes;
• the content and design of qualifications means that learners can miss out on skills and techniques that
they need to meet the needs of employers across Wales;
• qualifications do not always meet the needs of employers or the economy, and some are considered to
be outdated, irrelevant or inadequate;
• assessment is often not well managed, and quality assurance can be inconsistent and of poor quality.46’
In addition, the value of the level 1 qualification is questioned, with a foundation year in Construction being a favoured approach. This would allow learners to have a solid foundation in a number of different trades and specialisms within the industry. The hope is that this would reduce ‘drop-off’ significantly, with learners able to make much more informed choices about their path within the industry rather than becoming dis-engaged. Vocational learning routes are preferred by employers as the level of practical experience gained is considered higher and of greater quality.
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45 The PVA strategy has been developed through constructive dialogue between industry and provider representatives to tackle identified issues on work experience PLACEMENTS, school VISITS and engagement leading to more diverse opportunities, delivering sustainable APPRENTICESHIPS creating a construction led Community Wealth Model for the region. This collaborative approach will be used to seek funding from various bodies in order to tackle fundamental issues within the construction training pathway.
46 https://www.qualificationswales.org/english/qualifications/vocational-qualifications/sector-reviews/construction-and -the-built-environment/
Regional Employment & Skills Plan South West & Mid Wales
Sector Profiles