Agenda item

To consider the report of the Skills Officer.

The Skills Manager and the Building Exeter Project Manager submitted a report to update on the Building Greater Exeter initiative, which provided details of the progress since the launch, achievements and also plans for the next stages of development.

A presentation highlighted the overarching focus which was to support the construction sector across Exeter, East Devon and Teignbridge to address the skills and recruitment challenges it faced. In the South West, 27,200 new workers were expected to be needed by 2023, an annual recruitment requirement of 5,440. The initiative to inspire the future workforce and position construction as an attractive career prospect. They supported work placements locally by facilitating recruitment helped people continue their journey and upskill. There were now 28 project partners which had been achieved in little over a year and reinforced the level of commitment shown.

The Building Exeter Project Manager welcomed the level of collaboration in the construction industry, and particularly the construction companies who, whilst normally competing for business had come together to share best practice. They had been contributing towards a number of events to promote careers in the construction sector. They included the National Apprenticeship Show South West, the Apprenticeship Expo at Exeter College, Exeter City Council’s Jobs Fair, a STEM Careers Fair and the Big Bang Fair SW where they had teamed up with Building Plymouth and where it had been possible to showcase the 180 plus job roles that were available in construction. She also referred to the Schools Engagement Programme, working with project partners and schools and included talking at careers assemblies, attending careers fairs and events, and helping to organise work experience or a site visit. They had also worked with Military Service leavers and feedback from partners showed that they were a valuable resource for the construction industry with potential employees having excellent transferable skills and a great work ethic as well.

As part of the initiative, the team had been working on another major project over a three year lifespan, the Building Growth SW Project to create a legacy of a continued impact on individuals in construction.  This would focus on three areas of:-

·         Communications to improve the image and perception of construction one of our project  partners and funded opportunity for the construction industry training board and discuss in three areas;

·         Soft skills development, and

·         Pre-employment and training.

Matthew Cousins, the Commercial Director for Apex Scaffolding and Chair of the Building Greater Exeter Project was invited to recount how the project had benefited both him personally and the industry. He spoke about his experience and the benefits of attending the Big Bang event through the collaboration with Building Greater Exeter and being able to access the necessary resources. He recounted his experience of welcoming Service leavers to the industry as well as encouraging more women employees in the wider construction industry.

The Skills Manager also responded to a Member’s comment about the work in progress in relation to apprenticeships in our own community and she discussed the work with the Heart of the South West LEP, as well as the future skills needed and approach to any new technology. She welcomed the opportunity to be a member of the LEP Construction Skills Group to maximise innovations such as digital skilling to make best use of the technology that would inevitably come along. There were many challenges around the workforce and she hoped that these will be addressed through the Skills Strategy which would be presented to this Scrutiny Committee in the future. 

Place Scrutiny Committee noted the report.