New courses could bridge construction skills gap

A new scheme could help bridge the gap between student interest in construction and a skills shortage in the industry, a further education leader has said.

More than £5m has been announced for colleges in the South West to fund new trade courses and apprenticeships, alongside two new qualifications for 16 year olds needing extra GCSE support.

Executive principal of Cornwall College Group Mark Wardle said the funding would be used to give students hands-on access to industry, which they have not had before.

Wardle said: "We need to generate opportunities for them to access the industry so they can make informed choices, so they pick the right trade and they're able to then progress."

Wardle said while there were more than 450 students at Cornwall College studying construction, there was still an "acute shortage in all trades".

"For example, in Cornwall, there's a particular shortage in electricians, in plumbers, in ground workers, in building design," he said.

"The real fear is that there are significant housing targets, infrastructure projects, retrofit commitments, which without the workforce, employers are really going to struggle to deliver.

"I think there is lots of interest in the construction industry from young people, but we need to continue to generate that."

He said there was also a need for students to have the opportunity to access higher levels of learning as higher skilled workers were needed as well.

Wardle said one of the changes being made as part of the investment was allowing students to get hands-on experience in the industry.

"Whilst they have access to fantastic simulated environments, one of the biggest challenges is they've not been able to access the industry itself to get those hands-on experiences," he said.

"We can teach them everything in college but it's really, really difficult for them to get that real-life experience."

He said the college was working with Cornwall Council to identify placements and opportunities for employers to come and work with the students.

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