Infrastructure Awards 2018

5 2018 Infrastructure Awards Build to the Department for Business, Innovations and Skills) will need to pay the apprenticeship levy . The CITB already collects a levy from construction employers with a wage bill of £80,000 or more and the funds collected are invested back into the construction industry through training. Therefore, for the 2017/2018 financial year, employers with a payroll over £3m who are within the scope of the CITB levy will have to pay both levies. Given the overlap between schemes, the CITB has commented that it is for the construction industry to decide what type of support they want for skills and training in the future. The CITB has set up a new employer-led “Levy Working Party” to consider the options for how the CITB levy can work alongside the apprenticeship levy with the possible implementation of a new CITB Levy Order for 2018. A new forecast from the CITB has revealed that over 150,000 construction jobs are set to be created over the next five years, with 15,350 carpenters and 9,350 labourers needed. There will also be a significant growth in a range of professional and managerial roles. Whilst it is imperative that the apparent issues with the apprenticeship levy and the uncertainty around how the system is going to coincide with the CITB levy are addressed and resolved, more needs to be done so that the UK construction industry can continue to grow in the future. So what can you do? There are a number of reasons why young people are not drawn to a career in construction. It is often seen as an uncertain sector - the demise of Carillion has reinforced this perception as well as public concerns over the impact of Brexit. In addition, school pupils are generally not aware of the variety of jobs available in the sector. A key way to address these perceptions and to encourage more new talent into the construction sector is for people and businesses within the industry to engage with schools and colleges. More needs to be done to educate pupils – and their parents and teachers – about what options are available and what a career in construction looks like. This will allow students to adapt to shortages in a particular skill set. It is also important to promote the industry to girls and students from STEM subjects, who would not typically consider a career in construction. There are many organisations who are linking businesses with schools and colleges, such as the CIOB and the CITB. This is a national crisis which is impeding the growth of our sector. But this is also an opportunity for you to shape the future of the construction sector and the next generation of talent. 2