Bexley Engine House powers crucial construction industry summit to help tackle a national skills shortage

#NCW2020 – @LSEColleges in partnership with @BerkeleyGroupUK and the @The_EngineHouse Bexley, has held its first Construction Industry Summit to help tackle a national skills shortage 

Over 30 delegates attended the summit at The Engine House in Bexley, made up of College teaching and technical experts, teachers from Shooters Hill Sixth Form College, and many construction employers and contractors based in the south east. Representatives from Peabody, JTL, GLLaB, Bexley Council, Sapphire Balconies, PIB Contractors, Vital Energiand Wilton Electrics also attended. 

The aim of the summit was to engage colleges and employers in constructive dialogue in order to provide the growing industry with suitably qualified employees. This will enable businesses to access a wide range of craftspeople, engineers, surveyors and management staff to cover their extensive range of building projects in the south east over the next decade.

In a post-Brexit economy, the option for firms to enlist employees from the EU is going to be more difficult and could result in a significant shortfall unless the country acts swiftly to train its future staff. Failure to do this could result in many large developments and infrastructure projects grinding to a halt.

Introducing the event, Andrew Cox, London South East Colleges’ Group Head of Strategic Development, Partnerships and Projects, told delegates: “ As a lead in the Greater London Authority’s Mayor’s Construction Academy, London South East Colleges has a golden opportunity to start the conversation between education and training providers and the construction and built environment industries.

“A lot depends on us getting this right as we embark on a new decade and a new technological era. We can begin the process of knowing more about what employers need, how we can gear our curriculum to providing students with the right skills for the right job and creating a highly-skilled, home-grown workforce fit for purpose. In return, employers can get involved in shaping the way skills training is offered and provide us with expert, working knowledge to keep us permanently up-to-date with new technologies and best practice.

“It’s great to see so many employer representatives here today – this shows us that we are all taking this as seriously as each other and eager to forge some very exciting partnerships.”

If you are interested in pursuing a successful career in the construction and built environment industries, London South East Colleges has a great range of courses to get you started.