Construction Employees and Learners
Diversify your skillset to capitalise on new opportunities
“In 2021, over a third (34%) of employers suggested they had skills gaps, compared with 14% in 2018 and 20% in 2016. The numbers of employers who are experiencing hard to fill vacancies increased from 30% in 2018 to 60% in 2021.”
CITB Report – Skills and Training in the Construction Industry 2021
For employees working in the construction sector, diversification will be critical to progressing and advancing within an industry where technological innovation is driving change at pace and many of the future skills requirements will be digitally-focused.
The sector is at a pivotal point, with a new focus on technological advancement and Industrialised Construction (IC). Advanced equipment, software and processes will revolutionise the way the industry operates, with Building Information Modelling (BIM) and 5D CAD technologies leading the way.
As buildings are required to be smarter, more digitally enabled, greener and more intelligent in servicing the needs of their users, so the construction workforce will need to be equipped with the skills to design, plan, build and maintain such buildings.
Traditional construction professionals are likely to find themselves competing for jobs with specialists from different career backgrounds, including data analysts and data scientists, digital operatives and robotic programmers. Whilst construction technicians will be expected to have multiple skillsets, including green technology installation competencies, alongside traditional trade mastery.
Our solution
As a result of funding obtained from the Department for Education’s Strategic Development Fund, Greater Manchester Colleges Group (GMCG) has invested in developing training that will upskill construction employees to fill emerging skills gaps identified by employers.
GMCG’s new suite of CPD micro-programmes has been co-designed with employers to meet the current needs of the construction technician/professional workforce. They demonstrate the latest digital innovations, equipment and technologies that are changing the way the sector operates and offer step-by-step training for employees in how to use them. Such courses have been designed to support the diversification of skills for the benefit of employees looking to adapt and progress in the sector.
Each of the nine GM colleges is offering a different CPD taster course, focused around their brand-new equipment, leveraging the unique knowledge and expertise of their own training staff. If you are interested in learning more, click below for a menu of CPD demonstrations, tasters and courses available to you across Greater Manchester.