FMB members are shaping the future of SME construction training

In this feature, Sam Eden speaks to London FMB member Annie Summun, Chair of the FMB’s Training Group, about how members can take an active role in the future of training in SME construction.

Question: Why do we have a Training Group at the FMB?

It creates an opportunity for FMB members and training experts from across the construction industry to meet up and discuss issues to do with skills that are impacting our members. These discussions help the FMB to support members with a range of issues about skills: anything from the practicalities of training for the green skills agenda to putting forward changes needed in skills and training in our ‘Trading Up Report’. I suspect that many members are probably not aware of the Training Group, and if they are, they do not fully understand the scope of what we do.

Question: Is it just about apprenticeships and T-levels?

Not at all. We cover a wide range of topics – so to give you an example here are some of the issues we have discussed over the last 12 months:

RMI Research on Skills.
Recruiting SMEs to the STEM Ambassador scheme to go into schools to talk about construction.
Employer Network Pilot - a new CITB initiative to support SMEs more directly with training.
The Big Conversation at the Institute for Apprentices and Technical Education (IfATE).
Bridging the gap between education and industry.
Impact of the current withdrawal of Industry Accreditation (AI) CSCS cards.
A focus on green skills – training in retrofit.
Challenges for colleges to recruit trainers for existing and new courses.

Question: How do you get an in-depth knowledge of such a wide range of issues?

We invite speakers to do a presentation at the meetings, which is followed by an open discussion on the impact of the issues. We aim to have a good balance of topics from current research, new ideas to support the development of skills needed, to the impact of changes.

Question: Who are the members of the Training Group?

FMB members with an interest in training. Additionally, representatives from different organisations are members of the group:

Leeds College of Building and other colleges
CITB Senior Customer Engagement Manager
IfATE Senior Product Manager
Chair of the Cross-industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force (CCATF)
Department for Education
CSCS representative

Each representative gives an update on their areas of expertise at each meeting so that we are keeping abreast of changes in the construction industry.

Question: What are the biggest issues we are facing around training?

There are three main issues:

Skills shortages.
The requirements of English and Maths to a certain level which is a block to some students.
Complexity of the training and grants system.

Question: What can we do about this?

There are a few things we need to influence.

Improve the image of construction to young people to inspire them to join our industry.
Offering opportunities for people to re-train and move from other industries into construction.
Keep promoting good standards of training so that qualifications are well-recognised.
Adapt the English and Maths requirements so that they are more suited to the industry.
Develop new apprenticeship standards that meet the changing needs for new skills.
Encourage good quality lecturers to work in colleges sharing their skills with students.
Recruit more specialist end-point assessors to validate the skills achieved on courses.
Work with CITB to create more flexibility in training grants for new entrants and for upskilling existing workforces.

Question: Can anyone join the Training Group?

Yes. Any FMB member who is interested in training and wants to support what the FMB does in this area to promote and encourage educational and training projects within the construction industry. You are not expected to have a great deal of knowledge but need to be willing to give a view from the experiences you have in your own company.

Question: When do you meet and how?

We meet four times a year and the meetings are a mix between virtual and in person.

Question: How can someone express an interest in joining the Training Group?

You can express an interest by contacting the FMB Public Affairs Team at [email protected].

Authors

Tom Peardon

London Director, Federation of Master Builders

Tom represents the London membership of the FMB championing their interests to key industry stakeholders in London and providing a support to the membership.

Tom has eighteen years of experience working commercially in construction media including fifteen years on the CIOB publications Construction Management and BIMplus. Tom has also worked on the Architects’ Journal, the Architectural Review and the Association for Project Safety publication the Project Safety Journal.

Tom holds a degree in English and Philosophy from the University of Roehampton.