Devon and Somerset SMEs are invited to attend ‘Building Tomorrow’s Workforce’, an event on future sector trends and workforce solutions - Monday 11 June in Exeter

Heart of the South West Apprenticeship Service, a programme managed by Serco, invites small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) from the construction sector to attend ‘Building Tomorrow’s Workforce’ event on Monday 11 June at Sandy Park, Exeter 3.30pm-6.30pm. The free event will take a closer look at what the future holds for the workforce in the construction industry and offer solutions to the skills shortage here in the South West.

The event aims to bring together key stakeholders within the sector to tackle problem head on and provide proactive ways businesses can develop their workforce. Attendees will hear from Ian Bassett, Business Support Director at Midas Group Ltd. Since joining Midas in 2006 as Head of People, Ian has helped develop Midas into one of the region’s leading employers, achieving Silver Investors in People and South West Employer of the Year 2014. The event will also explore examples of routes into the construction industry showcasing stories from people who have successfully progressed their career taking different journeys into the sector and discussing the advantages and challenges for both the employee and employer.

It has been well documented that the construction sector faces growing skills shortages which is having a fundamental impact on output. According to research from Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) the construction output in the South West is projected to grow at an annual average rate of 3.1% to 2021, the second fastest rate after Wales. The industry has made inroads over the last couple of years to bridge the skills gap but is enough being done to tackle this and plan for future growth?
Heart of the South West Apprenticeship Service helps employers to identify learning pathways for their employees which build up their skills in line with the company’s requirements and future plans. Training needs identified as part of this activity can be funded through the programme at no cost to the employer. Heart of the South West Apprenticeship Service is co-financed by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and the European Social Fund.

Gareth Moss, Serco’s Director for Employment, Skills and Enterprise, said: “I’m delighted to be presenting this event to SMEs in the South West. In this age businesses need to adapt in order to succeed; it’s not just about demand today, but thinking about what we need to do in the future.

“The aim of the event is to encourage the construction sector to be proactive in addressing the skills gap and developing the workforce. It can be hard for businesses to keep up but during this event they’ll have the opportunity to learn about what is available to support them with their skills training requirements.”

There is no charge to attend but booking is essential. Businesses can book now via: https://www.serco-ese.com/skills-support-for-the-workforce/event-building-tomorrows-workforce or call 01752 968026.

Businesses can contact Heart of the South West Apprenticeship Service for more details via email: hotswapprenticeships@serco.com or telephone: 01752 968026.