01 May 2003

 

NewResearch by CITB Reveals the Truth about Skills Shortages

 

 

The ConstructionIndustry Training Board (CITB) has today, April 30th 2003, releasedtwo new reports, which give a new insight into skills shortages in theconstruction industry. The Skills Needs Survey has found that although skillsshortages are still high the problem is mainly with the temporary end of themarket. This is supported by the Effect of Employment Status on Investment inTraining Report, which shows that employers are more reluctant to train workerswho are employed on temporary contracts.

 

CITB surveyed 470construction companies in the Skills Needs Survey and found that 79% hadexperienced difficulties recruiting skilled staff in the previous three monthscompared with 76% surveyed in Spring 2001. However, only 63% of companies saidthey had had a long-term vacancy. Furthermore, of these companies, 69% of themhad managed to fill their long-term vacancy meaning that only 20% of theoverall number of companies in the sample were left with a long-term vacancythat they were unable to fill. These results imply that it is in the short-termvacancy market, when teams are recruited on a project by project basis as iscommon throughout the industry, where most skills shortages are located.

 

These findings arecomplemented by research conducted by IFF research for CITB and the Departmentfor Education and Skills, which shows that labour-only sub-contracting (LOSC)militates against formal training. In the study called The Effect of EmploymentStatus on Investment in Training, 32% of employers with directly employed staffprovided off-the-job training to their staff, compared to only 13% of employerswith LOSC staff. In fact, 86% of the self-employed who had achieved an apprenticeshiphad done so whilst directly employed. Currently, about 70% of painters anddecorators and plasterers are self-employed and about 60% of bricklayers andcarpenters.

 

The report also foundthat 22% of companies that rely heavily on LOSCs had apprentices compared to54% of employers with more directly employed staff. Similarly with on the jobtraining, a quarter (23%) of those using LOSCs had provided on the job trainingto any LOSCs over the last 12 months. This compared to 44% of those withdirectly employed manual staff. Part of the explanation for this was that manyemployers see LOSC staff as more skilled and therefore requiring less training.Also two in five (38%) who use LOSC agree that it is not an employersresponsibility to train LOSCs and for 44% it makes no sense to train thesestaff because they are only employed for a short time.

 

In response to thesefindings Peter Lobban Chief Executive of CITB, today revealed that CITB isdeveloping proposals to take to the major contractors and housebuilders forthem to partner with supply chain sub contractors to provide sufficient starterjobs for the number of apprentices needed by the industry. CITB is also indiscussions with the Learning and Skills Council about how funding arrangementscan be improved to enable this to happen. In a speech today he went on tosuggest that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister should work with CITB todeliver a sustainable construction industry, alongside the recently announcedsustainable housing policy.

 

Commenting on theresearch Peter Lobban, Chief Executive of CITB said: "This research isimportant in that it gives us a better understanding of the precise nature ofskills shortages, where they lie and why. This will inform our trainingpolicies in the future and help us to address the training challenges of thetemporary job market."

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For further information please contact Sarah Farraway orGina Channell in the CITB press office on 0207 600 7700.

 

Notes to editors:

 

       The CITB Skills NeedsSurvey was conducted by CITB Training Advisors on behalf of CITBs in-houseResearch Department. The survey was structured to deliver 50 responses fromeach CITB area, making 500 responses in total, covering small, medium and largecompanies. The final sample achieved was 470.

 

       The Effect ofEmployment Status on Investment in Training Report was conducted by IFFResearch via 350 interviews with construction sector employers, 504 interviewswith site-based manual workers and 10 interviews with recruitment agenciesspecialising in the construction sector.