The University of Cambridge's Estate Management and Building Service(EMBS)is leading the way in encouraging training within the construction industry and by raising the profile of skilled tradesmen in an attempt to address the current skills shortage.

Forecasts from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimate that Britain needs to train 380,000 building workers between now and 2006 to address the serious shortage of tradespeople in the industry.

With just under 11,000 people becoming construction apprentices in the last academic year, there is concern that new building projects may be in jeopardy.

In an initiative, initially funded by the government, EMBS have devised new working practices to ensure that training is a priority. Building contractors wishing to gain work from the University are required to submit staff training plans as part of the tendering process.

Michael Bienias, Deputy Director of EMBS said,
"Complex building schemes often take longer and cost more than expected and one of the reasons is because the skills to undertake the work efficiently are becoming scarcer. Fewer and fewer people want to take up traditional artisan apprenticeships such as carpentry and brickwork and the building industry is suffering as a result.

"We hope to make the industry more attractive as a profession by insisting on proper training for construction staff employed on our projects."

As clients, the University of Cambridge will benefit in the long run by receiving better quality workmanship and saving time through having to correct fewer defects.

David Adamson, Director of EMBS explained that even though money is available for training via organisations such as the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), many construction companies do not take up such funding.
"It is hoped that by integrating staff training into the normal tendering process the contractors will be able to more easily cost and plan for project focused training. Eventually such plans will be accepted as a matter of course within the industry. Ideally we may even move beyond seeking training achievements in tender documents to asking contractors to show the benefits of a Company Training Plan," he said.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) funded the initial project planning, via a special funding initiative promoting innovative developments in management within higher education.

Five Universities are involved with the project: Cambridge, Oxford, Bristol, University College London (UCL) and University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). The University of Cambridge is leading the project.

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