Skills gap, labour shortage and the impact of this challenge
The threat of skill shortage is not a new one. For years, industries such as healthcare, hospitality, logistics and construction have struggled to recruit the right talent, and it has only become worse since the pandemic. The most common reason for businesses finding vacancies more difficult to fill were a low number of applications and a lack of qualified applicants.
This is partly down to Brexit that saw 200,000 EU citizens leave the UK in the past two years; but a greater number of people – 450,000 – have simply left the workforce since 2019, and are now classed as “economically inactive”.
This challenge has led to: skills gap, labour shortage and the impact of this challenge 77% of employers report difficultly in filling roles- A 17-years high
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Business Inefficiencies (Talent shortage survey 2023)
Project management and scheduling delays
Increased costs of hiring last minute contractors
Disconnected internal communication and processes
Regularity non compliance
- Increased exposure to fines
- Impacting reputational damage
- Stunted business growth and investor opportunities
How to overcome labour shortage and create positive outcomes
The UK skills shortage will cost the country £120 billion by 2030 (Report by the Learning and Work Institute 2019) £120 billion. In total, there are 900,000 fewer workers today than the Bank of England expected before Covid struck. (The Week, 2022)
Faced with a ‘hat-trick’ of demographic changes, the pandemic and Brexit, research suggests that the UK could see a labour shortage of 2.6 million workers in less than a decade, according to think-tank International Longevity Centre-UK. To solve the ongoing people and skills shortage crisis, safety and procurement teams will be required to re-think and adapt their approach. Organisations can’t keep ‘plugging the gaps’ and regardless of sector, at the core is the need to hire contractors who have the right skills and are safe and compliant to do the job.
For organisations who rely on contractors, the key to achieving this is to implement a robust sourcing and qualification strategy that is monitored throughout the lifecycle of the partnership. This will help to safeguard against short-term and long-term risk and give organisations better control of their business performance. At its simplest, it’s about quality control.
Fire Sprinkler Training Sector
Sprinktec is the Leading Fire sprinkler Training provider in the UK and the only Training company to cover design training for Domestic, Residential, Commercial and Industrial systems. All of their courses are kept up-to-date with current legislation ensuring the candidates are up to speed, the training is also carried out by one of our lecturers who have a combined experience in the industry of over 60 years.
Morgan Health & Safety Solutions recently signed a partnership agreement with Sprinktec and are excited to be working directly with thleading training provider to upskill, retrain and train existing and new entrants to the fire sprinkler industry on a regional basi s covering North London up to the Birmingham. We will give further updates later on this month -watch this space!
Consultancy
Sprinktec offer a range of Consultancy services for end users, main contractors and local government alike, Such as: –
- Full detailed Fire sprinkler system specifications
- Full details revit drawings for co-ordination prior to the job going to tender
- Full Site inspection services
- Section 21 Reports (a requirement for the upkeep of maintaining a sprinkler system by the end users).
BASFA Technical Committee minutes
Skills & Development L2 Fitters Card
- Should now be delivered through Abbe Certifications Blue Sprinkler Engineers Card
- all work done and approved just waiting on the skills partnership to approve the card.
To apply for the New CSCS Card you will need a current SSSTS or SMSTS certificate and also have sat and Passed the New Bafsa Inspection and Maintenance course. There will also be a Black Fire Sprinkler Managers Card for Domestic and residential issued shortly. To apply for this New CSCS Card you will need a current SSSTS or SMSTS certificate and also have sat and Passed the Sprinktec Domestic and Residential fire sprinkler design course. There is a plan in place to have 6 newly approved design training courses. For Booking Training course please contact Alan Crichton at alan.crichton@bafsa.org.uk Any queries please Contac Ruth Oliver at qualifications@bafsa.org.u