Tag: skills shortage

East Lothian pupils get hands-on insight into construction career

Cruden tackles construction skills gap with hands-on schools programme

Leading 5-star housebuilder, Cruden has developed a new schools initiative in East Lothian, aimed at tackling the construction skills shortage, with pupils at Knox Academy taking part in hands-on sessions designed to bring careers in the industry to life.

Delivered as part of a community benefit activity linked to Cruden’s Herdmanflat development in Haddington for East Lothian Council and Hub South East, the Employability Strengthening Programme (ESP) focuses on building practical skills, boosting confidence and highlighting clear routes into employment.

with pupils at Knox Academy taking part in hands-on sessions designed to bring careers in the industry to life.

Delivered as part of a community benefit activity linked to Cruden’s Herdmanflat development in Haddington for East Lothian Council and Hub South East, the Employability Strengthening Programme (ESP) focuses on building practical skills, boosting confidence and highlighting clear routes into employment.

In Scotland, around a quarter of the construction workforce is aged 50 or over, highlighting a growing succession challenge. Across the UK, more than 225,000 additional workers will be needed by the middle of the decade, with employers continuing to report skills shortages. Initiatives such as ESP aim to engage young people and help build a more sustainable pipeline of talent.

The first session, held in February, introduced pupils to careers in construction, alongside practical employability advice and guidance. Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) and East Lothian Works also attended, providing insight into further training opportunities and  Construction Level 4 and 5 courses.

A second session in March took a more practical approach, with pupils completing a STEM-based measurement activity, replicating a real-world quantity surveying task, giving them insight into the skills used on live construction projects.

Additional sessions included CV and interview advice, as well as a ‘meet the experts’ event, allowing pupils to engage directly with industry professionals. 

Elaine Gorman, DYW School Coordinator at Knox Academy, said the sessions generated strong engagement from pupils and helped raise aspirations around careers in construction. She said: “The pupils responded enthusiastically and engaged well with all sessions, particularly the quantity surveying tasks.

“It gave them a real sense of achievement while bringing construction careers to life in a very practical way.”

Michael Palethorpe, Community Benefit Manager at Cruden, says: “There is a real need to inspire the next generation into construction and that starts in the classroom. 

“Through our Employability Strengthening Programme, we’re giving young people practical, real-world insight into the industry, showing them the opportunities available and building their confidence to take that next step.”

The programme forms part of a wider series of four sessions, designed to support pupils in understanding career options, developing employability skills and connecting with further education opportunities.

Cruden continues to roll out the programme across its developments, in partnership with schools, local authorities and employability organisations to support young people into long-term careers in construction.

Sparking an interest in electrical apprenticeships

Scotland’s electrical training body has saluted an “excellent” start to the academic year after the number of electrical apprentices and adult trainees beginning their studies reached a 12-year high.

More than 800 new learners have enrolled on the Electrical Apprenticeship and Adult Trainee Programmes for 2021, with colleges and training centres reporting full classrooms as future professionals take their first steps on the electrical ladder.

The intake is the highest in Scotland since 2009 – and the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT) says it’s another encouraging sign of the determination to tackle the UK-wide skills shortage .

Barrie McKay, Training and Development Manager at SECTT, which manages high-quality training on behalf of the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB), said: “I’ve been at SECTT for more than 20 years and it’s really encouraging to see a return to such high numbers.

“The figures are particularly satisfying  given the position the industry was in this time last year, when only 500 people began training due to the impact of COVID-19.

“This improved intake illustrates that people recognise that the future is electric and also understand that their personal prospects will be brighter if they’re part of a sector that is going to play a key part in all our lives.”

A total of 2,158 electrical apprentices and adult trainees are currently training in Scotland, including the 715 apprentices and 126 adult trainees recruited for the 2021 intake.

Barrie added: “Not only are the numbers looking good, but the quality of the young people being taken on – both male and female – is really impressive.

“The industry has been concerned for some time about skills shortages as the demand for qualified electricians accelerates, and the enthusiasm and dedication of these new recruits goes a long way to easing these fears and suggesting that there is an appetite to learn among the electrical talent of tomorrow.

“As colleges continue to recover from the challenges of COVID-19, they will now help their students embrace all the modern technologies which will play such a huge part in a greener and more sustainable future.”

SECTT and the SJIB praised employers for taking on apprentices in numbers earlier this year, confounding fears that recruitment could be a casualty of the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both bodies also pointed towards the altered perception of employment in the sector, thanks to the long-running campaign for regulation of the electrical industry spearheaded by SELECT, Scotland’s largest construction trade association.

Fiona Harper, Director of Employment & Skills at SELECT and The Secretary of the SJIB, said: “The industry as a whole is committed to the next generation of talent coming through, and employers are clearly supportive of creating a pool of highly-trained, highly-qualified personnel to take their business and the sector forward.”