Weekly News Bulletin – 22nd June 2018

This week we saw news from tes that the construction skills fund will support on-site training through investment. In order to address the skills gap that the manufacturing industry is experiencing, the government has granted £22 million to finance 20 on-site training hubs to help create 158,000 new construction jobs in the UK over the next 5 years. What are your opinions? Do you think on-site training hubs are a positive step to bridging the skills gap?

In similar news, it was reported that apprenticeship uptake has dropped by 28% since the apprenticeship levy was introduced. A report, published by The Department for Education, has also found that employers have only used 10% of the fund. With employers believing that the levy is complicated and unmanageable, what are your thoughts? Do you have apprenticeships or does the levy deter you from looking into apprenticeships?

BIM Today shared news from a futurology report commissioned by NHBC Foundation. In it, it looks at homes of the future and what we can expect to see. This includes neighbourhood energy systems and enhanced technology for heating, security and postal deliveries. The report also expects to see the rise of multi-generational accommodation as the number of elderly people and people unable to leave their homes increases. We would recommend reading the report to find out more about the technology we can expect to see in homes by 2050, and the impact it will have on construction.

We also saw news from The Business Desk that Steel & Alloy has created 60 new jobs in Oldbury after building a £27m manufacturing site at Popes Lane.  We’ll update you as we know more.

Insider Media reported that a £10m construction fund launched by Birmingham-headquartered Colmore Tang Construction, alongside Virgin StartUp has attracted more than 200 applicants. The fund, aimed at entrepreneurs and start-up businesses, will help bring technology products and ideas to life for the construction sector, such as Artificial Intelligence, 3D print robotic solutions and cloud-based software. Out of the applicants, 16 have been invited to pitch their ideas to industry experts at Virgin StartUp headquarters in London. Those successful will be able to trial their solutions across 14 live development sites and potentially gain access to the £10m innovation fund.

Finally, Raconteur released an interesting thought piece on the topic of sustainability building value in the construction industry. Focusing on procurement and sustainability, the article looks at how thoughtful procurement can result in cost savings and environmental benefits, which in turn will add value to the sector. We would recommend reading this article to find out a little more about this issue, including how to track sustainability in the supply chain.

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£22m construction fund to pay for on-site training

The construction skills fund will allow learners to study in a real-world environment in order to address skills gaps

https://www.tes.com/news/ps22m-construction-fund-pay-site-training

DfE report shows apprenticeships continue to drop

The Department for Education’s research on apprenticeships shows that their uptake has dropped 28% since the levy was introduced

https://edexec.co.uk/dfe-report-shows-apprenticeships-continue-to-drop/

Futurology report gives a glimpse into homes of the future

According to a new report, homes of the future will hone into neighbourhood energy systems, use enhanced technology to make automatic decisions about heating, security and postal deliveries and feature flexible layouts

https://www.pbctoday.co.uk/news/bim-news/futurology-report-into-homes-of-the-future/42220/

60 jobs created at £27m manufacturing site

A £27m manufacturing site has been officially opened in Oldbury after creating 60 jobs.

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/2018561-60-jobs-created-27m-manufacturing-site

£10m Construction fund attracts more than 200 applicants

A £10m technology accelerator programme launched by Birmingham-headquartered Colmore Tang Construction alongside Virgin StartUp has attracted more than 200 applications from entrepreneurs and start-up businesses.

https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/10m-construction-fund-attracts-more-than-200-applicants

How sustainability can build value in construction

Reconciling best-value procurement and sustainability should not be a problem as the two represent a win-win

https://www.raconteur.net/business/sustainability-construction-value