Press Release
Altogether Stronger - Wales Launches SSA
5 August 2005
The vision of a Welsh construction industry that is fully qualified, highly professional and working safely to deliver outstanding value, came one step closer today with the launch of a Sector Skills Agreement (SSA) for Wales, that puts employers squarely at the centre of decisions about the funding and delivery of training in construction.
The construction industry SSA, negotiated by ConstructionSkills, is a series of agreements between training providers, employers and Government, designed to address the construction industry’s current and future skills needs. To assist in the development and implementation of SSAs in Wales, ConstructionSkills is working with three Sector Skills Councils - SkillSet, e-skills UK and SEMTA - to identify common objectives, opportunities for collaborative action and for sharing best practice.
Commenting on the launch at St David’s Hotel Cardiff, Rhodri Morgan MP - Wales First Minister - commented: “Construction is one of the largest industries in Wales and a pre requisite for all other economic activity, including delivery of the Welsh Assembly Government’s investment plans. I welcome the ConstructionSkills SSA as a fine example of collaborative working - developing real partnerships to build a better future for Wales.”
Peter Lobban, Chief Executive of ConstructionSkills, said:
“The Sector Skills Agreement for Wales gives employers a real say in the skills and training needs of the industry, creating the best opportunity we have ever had to tackle construction’s future skills needs.
In Wales, 89% of construction firms have fewer than 10 employees. While these highly versatile, small or mostly sole traders offer the flexibility to deal with fluctuating demand, robust information on the level of their qualifications is as yet unavailable. The constant uncertainty of what lies ahead and the level of labour-only subcontracting also inhibits the development of a training culture.
Engaging with the majority is vital in achieving the required step change that will enable the industry to deliver ‘even more, but better’. For this reason, there needs to be greater emphasis on developing project-based solutions that address key skills challenges by sharing the load, and cost, of training across the whole supply chain.
Latest Press Releases
- Savvy employers get behind Construction and Built Environment Diploma as countdown to delivery begins
- £140 MILLION AVAILABLE TO HELP CONSTRUCTION FIRMS TRAIN THEIR PEOPLE
- ConstructionSkills Calls on Industry to Train for CDM Compliance
- CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY URGED TO STOP TURNING AWAY TOMORROW’S SKILLED CRAFTSPEOPLE
- ConstructionSkills launches online tool to support UK companies employing migrant workers
- New legacy training initiative for the Olympic Boroughs
- New apprenticeship scheme to drive up employer work placement numbers
- New research reveals the scale of the challenge faced by industry to become a first-choice employer
- CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS RISK MISSING OUT ON HUGE SAVINGS WITH RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING COSTS
- MORE SKILLS FOR CONSTRUCTION SECTOR AS NEARLY 4,000 CONSTRUCTION AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT DIPLOMA PLACES ARE MADE AVAILABLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Spread your message to an audience that counts, with options available for our website, email bulletins and publications including The House Magazine.
