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Following on from its recent Annual General Meeting where the hot topic was training and developing the competent workforce of the future, the FMB has offered its wholehearted support of National Construction Week and welcomed the Government's pledge to support vocational education opportunities for 14-19 year olds. The FMB believes that the recruitment and training of the future workforce is fundamentally critical to the success and profitability of the UK construction industry and applauded the proposal for a construction GCSE to be introduced as a viable option to students wishing to pursue a more vocational career path.
"One issue that crops up again and again in the FMB's quarterly State of Trade membership survey report that is the chronic lack of new entrants into the construction industry in the UK" says FMB Director General Ian Davis, adding "such is the shortage of skilled people in some areas that builders are turning away work or customers are finding themselves on a long waiting list. The FMB welcomes any initiative that encourages youngsters to pursue a career in the industry. Many youngsters would be keen to pursue a more vocational career rather than an academic one, and yet, at the present time, their awareness of the options open to them and the opportunity to gain experience from an early age remains limited."
The FMB is keen to promote the varied and rewarding careers that the construction industry offers - from craft roles such as bricklayer, carpenter or plasterer through to professionally qualified jobs in design and planning, civil engineering, architecture or construction management. Ian Davis also issued a call to action for FMB members to 'act locally to build their own future' through raising the awareness of youngsters of the wide range of construction career paths open to them, saying:
"Whether a youngster's talent is working with their head or their hands, this industry has many careers paths that can be followed successfully and fruitfully. The FMB actively encourages members to get out into their local communities and speak in schools and colleges to promote the industry as a great career choice."
As well a support at national level, a number of regional FMB initiatives are planned for National Construction Week. In the Midlands, for example, the FMB is supporting the Worcester Construction Training Group's events at the Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, including various activities for young students aged 9-13 years, such as craft competitions, surveying and safety talks. 500 students from local schools will visit during the week. Through the Hereford Schools Challenge various construction-based events will be held at Hereford Waterworks for students aged 9 and 10. FMB members are also involved in open days at colleges throughout the UK, including one at Stourbridge Adult Training College, where TV's Tommy Walsh will be demonstrating basic brickwork skills and talking to students about careers in building. The London Region of FMB is launching an initiative aimed at getting new books on construction into London's schools. Members have been asked to donate £15 to fund a new addition to the school library - Dorling Kindersley's 'Eyewitness Guide to Building' - a colourful and informative history of how and why construction is so important. Aimed at 9-12 year olds, the book will stay on the school shelves for many years, and hopefully start to influence the way young people perceive a future career in construction.
Looking forward, the FMB is committed to supporting the goals that National Construction Week sets out. It has, for example, pledged its ongoing support for UK Skills' mission to raise standards of the UK team that competes in the International Skills Olympics to world-beating levels through developing world champions from amongst FMB member firms.
First posted: 30September 2002. Last modified: 1 October 2002.
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