BSRIA has welcomed the announcement of a government-led major review of the construction labour market in a bid to reform the sector and enable it to power economic growth and solve the housing crisis.
The review will include a full public consultation and will be carried out by former Arcadis consultant Mark Farmer overseen by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC).
The report will look at the traditional barriers to upskilling the industry and the impact of new technology and reforms to the way the sector worked. It will also consider less labour-reliant building methods including off-site construction and on-site robotics.
Julia Evans, Chief Executive, BSRIA, said:
“BSRIA is very much supportive of this commission and consultation and, on behalf of the industry and our members, would very much like to be involved every step of the way.
“Such commission hasn’t come a day too late, especially with the current housing shortage or ‘crisis’ as the government has indeed put it. Economic growth – for both the UK and the industry – is paramount.
“The repeated message from BSRIA is that how is any building or construction going to be built when there is a severe skills shortage in the industry? Upskilling is also a key issue, running alongside that of apprenticeships and the current uncertainly surrounding the apprenticeship levy.”