Trailblazers in construction: how do

businesses perceive it? Michael Hill and Dr Ramesh Marasini

Built EnvironmentSchool of Art, Design and Fashion

Outline

• Skills gap in Engineering and Construction• Higher Degree Apprenticeships- Trailblazers• Research objectives • Research methodology• Findings

Skills gap in Engineering and Construction

Reasons for skills gap

• Effect of recession and lack of recruitment

• Image of the industry failing to attract young people

• Aging workforce

Trade skills most affected, including professionals

Current status of Apprenticeships

• Apprentice Framework – promotes closer association with employers and education institutes. • Over 200 different types of apprenticeships,

4,000 apprenticeships in construction for the past 6 years• 3M new apprenticeships planned over the next

five years with approximately 210,000 in construction• Industry only achieved 16,000 in 2013/14

(Federation of Master Builders, 2015)

Trailblazers• Higher Apprenticeship Framework- achieves

both academic and vocational qualifications from levels 4 to levels 6 and 7.• New Degree apprenticeships- trailblazers are

being developed within the framework will lead to professional qualifications e.g MCIOB, MCIAT etc. • More than 100 companies in conjunction with

around 20 universities involved• For every £1 contributed by the employer, the

government will pay £2 (HM Government 2015)• Funded by apprentice levy- 700 or more

construction companies will be paying the levy

Research Aim/Objectives

To examine the causes and effects of the skills shortage in the construction industry, the nature and extent of the shortage and evaluate the current status of New Degree Apprenticeships.

Data collection and analysis • Questionnaire

sent to managers and professionals, 42 responses.• 55/45% split

between members and non-members of professional bodies

Recruitment9%

Project management

34%

Company management

19%

Supervision of work

34%

Work at operation level

5%

What are your current responsib il ities?

Questionnaire Survey- Findings

Retiring Work-force25%

Lack of Young People

30%

Lack of Women

13%

Lack of Gov-

ernment Incen-tives18%

Other13%

Which of the fo llowing factors do you believe are responsib le for the sk il ls

shortage?

Total Pro-fessionals

35%

Total Trades

62%

Total Support Staff2%

Percentage breakdown of P rofes-sionals, Trades and Support S taff

perceived shortages

Questionnaire Survey- Findings

Retiring Work-force25%

Lack of Young People

30%

Lack of Women

13%

Lack of Gov-

ernment Incen-tives18%

Other13%

Which of the fo llowing factors do you believe are responsib le for the sk il ls

shortage?

Poor image of the in-

dustry25%

Working conditions

17%Employment consistency

(Effects of recession)25%

Career op-portunities

12%

Wage levels19%

Other2%

Do you believe any of the fo llowing have a negative effect on recruitment in

the construction industry?

Questionnaire Survey- Findings

Yes33%

No43%

Don't know24%

Does your company current ly have an apprenticesh ip scheme or employ ap -

prentices?

Recruiting fr

om other

industry s

ectors

Apprenticesh

ips

Recruiting m

ore women

Encouraging yo

ung people

through close

r liaiso

n

with educa

tional insti

tutes

2%

79%

14%

62%

36%

21%

31%38%

0.428571428571429 0.428571428571429

0.190476190476190.119047619047619

Do you believe the skil ls shortage can be addressed

by any of the fo llowing?

Strongly Agree Agree Don't knowDisagree Strongly disagree

Questionnaire Survey- Findings

Yes12%

No88%

Are you aware of the new degree ap -prenticesh ips, also known as “Trail -

b lazers”?

Yes20%

No80%

Are you aware of any educational insti -tutes in your area that wil l be participat -

ing in the new degree apprenticeships?

Questionnaire Survey- Findings

Currently participat -

ing20%

Planning to partic-

ipate in the

near fu-ture40%

Will not be

participat -ing in the scheme

40%

Is your company current ly participating in the scheme or p lanning to in the near future?

No100%

Are you aware of the format of the new degree apprenticesh ips?

Questionnaire survey- Findings

Filling course places45%

Involving busi-nesses in the

structuring of the courses

36%

Mentoring of apprentices

in the workplace9%

Other9%

What key challenges do you believe the new degree apprenticeships wil l face in achiev ing their goal of addressing the

sk ills shortage?I am

aware of the levy

but don’t know which

compa-nies

have to pay it26%

I am aware of the levy

and know which

compa-nies have to pay it

10%

I am not aware of the levy

64%

Are you aware of the new government apprenticesh ip levy and which com -

panies wil l have to pay it?

Questionnaire Survey- Findings

Yes29%

No71%

Would you be interested in learning more about the new degree appren -

ticeships by att ending a presentation at your local co llege or un iversity? I am

aware of the levy

but don’t know which

companies have to pay it26%

I am aware of the levy

and know which

companies have to pay it

10%

I am not aware of the levy

64%

Are yo u aware of t h e n ew go vernmen t apprenticeship levy and which co mp anies

wil l h ave t o pay it?

Questionnaire Survey- Findings

• Although 33% believed businesses should be responsible; all four groups are perceived to have an almost equal degree of responsibility in addressing the skills problem.

Gov-ern-

ment25%

Education22%

Business33%

Pro-fes-

sional Bodies

20%

Which of the fo llowing do you believe is most responsib le for addressing

the sk ills shortage in the construction industry?

Conclusions• 67% of construction companies are experiencing

problems with the skills shortage which is affecting their business growth. • The new degree apprenticeships could address the

skills shortage, although there is much work still to be done in promoting the scheme; there seems to distinct lack of awareness in the industry.• Variable views from businesses; no significant

commitment yet. Key challenge is to fill apprenticeship places. • Businesses are not clear as to how this will impact

on current levies already being paid and what impact if any the new funding will have on businesses ability to train staff other than apprentices.