The health and safety wishlist calls for more investment in training and skills and the fast-tracking of visa processes for skilled immigrants with proven experience and identifiable, ‘provable’ skills in the construction sector.
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The association’s demands are as follows.
1. Training and skills development
Issue: There is a significant shortage of skilled workers to meet the housing targets set in all the main party manifestos, and especially in the Tory and Labour documents.
Solution: Invest in comprehensive training programmes and real, meaningful apprenticeships to build a skilled workforce capable of safely constructing the planned 1.5+ million homes likely to be needed over the next five years.
Action: Immediate allocation of funds and resources to training centres and educational institutions - with enforceable output targets.
2. Planned and selective immigration (short term)
Issue: APS members report that the current domestic workforce is insufficient to meet critical housing targets in the short term.
Solution: Implement a planned and selective immigration policy to attract skilled workers from abroad, similar to the Australian model. This would be a short-term tactic for five years.
Action: Fast-track visa processes for skilled immigrants with proven experience and identifiable, ‘provable’ skills in the construction sector.
3. Long-term construction workforce development
Issue: Many UK college and university training programmes are insufficient to meet the demand for skilled workers.
Solution: Enhance and expand apprenticeship programmes to ensure a steady pipeline of skilled workers for future projects.
Action: Partner with industry leaders and educational institutions to design and implement effective programmes relevant to modern methods of construction and developing technologies.
4. Environmental protection in planning
Issue: Proposed fast-track planning on brownfield sites and abandonment of nutrient neutrality pose environmental risks.
Solution: Ensure all planning and construction projects adhere to strict environmental protection standards to prevent uncontrolled pollutants in sensitive environments.
Action: Implement rigorous environmental impact assessments for all new construction projects. Some pioneering local authorities are showing this can be done; much more could be achieved with government backing.
5. Retrofitting existing buildings
Issue: The focus on new builds overlooks the potential of retrofitting existing structures to meet modern housing needs and environmental goals.
Solution: Develop a robust and realistic retrofit programme to improve existing buildings' energy efficiency and safety.
Action: Allocate funding and incentivise homeowners and businesses to retrofit their properties.
