Business South’s Housing Group met at Chilworth Manor to explore the future skills needs of the industry, one of the biggest challenges facing the housing and construction sector.
Housing Group Co-Chair Matt Turpin of VIVID welcomed attendees and introduced speakers who provided perspectives from both industry and education on how the sector can tackle growing skills shortages.
Alasdair Reisner, Head of Preconstruction and Productivity Advisory at Mace, outlined the scale of the challenge facing the sector across the Central South and beyond. With demand for housing continuing to rise, an ageing workforce and a “leaky pipeline” between education and employment, he warned that the industry faces significant pressure in the years ahead.
Around a quarter of the construction workforce is now over the age of 55, almost double the proportion recorded in 2000, creating concerns about the loss of experienced workers as retirements increase. At the same time, thousands of people complete construction-related qualifications each year but do not go on to work in the industry.
Alasdair highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between employers, education providers and local authorities, encouraging organisations to develop local solutions and skills partnerships rather than relying solely on national initiatives.
This was complemented by Sarah Warren, Vice Principal Curriculum & Quality at City of Portsmouth College, who presented about how the college is helping to build the workforce for the housing sector, their role in addressing the skills gaps, and the barriers their students face after education.
The college supports around 1,000 construction learners each year, including more than 500 full-time students and 400 apprentices. However, Sarah highlighted the ongoing challenge of securing enough apprenticeship and placement opportunities to meet student demand.
She gave the example with one cohort where 120 learners had expressed an interest in progressing into apprenticeships, only 17 had successfully secured a placement. Sarah explained that many opportunities currently arise through family or friend connections, or via existing part-time jobs, underlining the need for stronger links between education providers and industry.
The presentations set the scene for a lively and productive discussion among Housing Group members, who reflected on the challenges facing their own organisations and explored opportunities for collaboration across the region.
During the roundtable discussions, delegates reflected on the challenges raised by the speakers and shared their own experiences. Key themes included the need for stronger collaboration between employers and education providers, earlier engagement with young people to promote careers in the industry, and increased apprenticeship and placement opportunities.
Attendees also highlighted the value of successful local initiatives across the Central South and agreed that greater regional coordination will be essential to addressing future skills shortages.
