How Can Training And Development Impact Employees And The Construction Industry?

Across the construction industry, there is a need for skilled workers who have the qualifications and experience to help carry the business through those tougher projects and busier periods. A theme that can be seen across construction in the UK is the shortage of labourers and skilled workers. This is because of a variety of reasons, including an ageing workforce, the UK’s departure from the European Union, the cost-of-living crisis, and a lack of interest from younger generations to find a career in construction.

Additionally, young people who are interested in a career in the construction industry often have trouble finding their first role in the workplace to complete their NVQ qualifications. It is the experience of many to find themselves applying for more than a hundred roles before getting a work placement. This is a huge barrier to people completing their qualifications and being able to get into a career in the construction industry as skilled workers.

So why are we focusing on training and development more than ever before?

We want to grow as a business while improving our day-to-day practices to make sure our clients are getting the best service we can offer. We also want to make sure that the fit-out solutions that we are delivering are consistently produced to a high standard. This not only comes with expertise but also with training the next generation to ensure the longevity of a business.

In the construction industry, companies often consider the short-term impacts of an employee enrolling in a training program. The first thought every employer has is money! The course you choose is important, but finding the right one will cost money. The second consideration for an employer is often the time it takes to complete an NVQ or specialist course. Any course will naturally take an employee away from their role to attend classes and complete their coursework and exams. These short-term impacts usually lead employers to avoid investing in training employees to become skilled workers.

Another topic around training that is considered is: what if the person getting the training asks for a pay raise after their training, or what if they move to another role? While both are important considerations, it must also be recognised that if an employee is more skilled and qualified, it is often a reasonable request to increase their salary or improve their benefits package. Additionally, the business will profit from having a more skilled workforce that makes fewer mistakes and can achieve more in their role. This allows most companies to justify a pay raise, which demonstrates the company’s investment in their employees. Those who have undergone training will feel more valued by the company for their commitment to training and improving employees. Offering training can also encourage other employees to work harder in an effort to be selected for training programs. These effects, combined, can lead to a more motivated workforce and strengthen company loyalty. This increase in motivation and loyalty from employees can help propel the business to a competitive advantage, with the quality of service and products only improving with training and development.

To better understand how training is impacting our employees, we have spoken with two of our junior site managers who have recently completed their Level 3 NVQ’s in management. We want to know how they feel the course has benefited them and how they feel it will impact their future careers.

Daniel 

Daniel joined Pace Interiors in March 2023 after moving to London in January. Dan had previously been working as a plasterer before he relocated, but he wanted to get his qualification so he could progress into management roles. He did not want to continue as a labourer for his whole career, as he knew it would take a toll on his body in the long term.

He joined Pace Interiors knowing it was an opportunity to get on-site experience and a qualification after a probationary period. During the probationary period, Dan felt highly motivated to prove himself and his interest in the role so he would be approved for the course. At the end of his probationary period, he found that he was going to be able to enrol in the course to do his NVQ as well as complete a variety of additional courses. Dan has since completed training and has qualifications in PAT testing, first aid, and Pasma for scaffolding safety training. Dan has also recently completed the challenging assessment for his Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) course.

Generally, Dan felt that his learning on site was the most impactful for his development, while having a qualification gives him job security. Dan found that the health and safety module of his course was the most informative and eye-opening, and it had the most immediate effect on his day-to-day practices. Dan felt like the training and qualifications he completed have allowed him to improve his knowledge and have set him up for professional progression so he can advance in his role at Pace.

In the future, Dan would like to stay at Pace and continue to progress in his experience over the next three to five years, with the goal of becoming a site manager. He sees a long-term career as a site manager within Pace and looks forward to learning more as he works on future sites.

Sam

After leaving university, Sam decided that he wanted to move into a different industry from what he had previously studied. He chose to move into construction by starting with carpentry. During his time in carpentry, he secured an NVQ level 2 but wanted to move into a management role. He found his role at Pace Interiors and was able to progress through a variety of training courses, as well as securing his NVQ level 3. Sam spoke of how he enjoyed learning more through his course but particularly enjoyed reflecting his learning in his day-to-day assisting one of our site managers.

During his time on site, Sam felt like he learned a lot about how to communicate with people, not just at Pace but also across the site with other companies and project managers. He found he learned a lot from observing the site manager he was assisting and how he interacted with others.

Sam also found that when he needed to reach out to someone, either with help on his coursework and exams or with problems he was trying to solve on site, He found that there was always someone to call or reach out to in Pace to help him find a solution. We believe that when someone is new to a role or is in training, it is key to their success that they can reach out to experienced members of the company for guidance and support.

Alongside his NVQ level 3, Sam also completed training in PAT testing, first aid, Pasma scaffolding safety training, and asbestos safety training. Sam is also due to complete a Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) course. Sam agreed that although some of the courses took him away from the site where he wanted to occupy his time, he found that completing the various training courses has given him confidence to move forward so he can progress to management roles.

Sam sees himself staying at Pace and progressing to being a site manager, and he aims to see his own site go from start to finish. Sam is also looking to continue to progress in his education and would consider doing another NVQ level to be able to expand his knowledge and get the equivalent of an undergraduate degree qualification.

We appreciate that regulation in the construction industry has changed a lot over the last few decades, requiring individuals and companies to adapt to ensure building quality and site health and safety. This has led to the need for more training, with qualifications becoming a key barrier for people entering the construction industry to become skilled workers. We understand the short-term impacts on company resources of enrolling an employee in a training course, but the benefits are shown to help a business develop and build measurable growth.

As a business, we want to make sure we have the best people for the job so that we can ensure quality for our clients, both in terms of the service we offer and the products we manufacture and install. Having less experienced employees can impact the efficiency and quality of the service being provided. That is why at Pace Interiors, we are always looking at how to support employee development and focusing on training in the workplace. So that we can continue to offer only the highest quality design, manufacturing, and fitout solutions, and for the longevity of the business, it is key to train the next generation to make sure there are enough skilled workers in the industry.