We hope you will be able to find the time to complete this important survey, which has the aim of supporting industry in recruiting and retaining the workforce it needs. We welcome your views. This survey relates to the routes available in England only and not other parts of the UK.

As part of the work of the Routes to Industry group of the CLC, we are undertaking a survey to understand the industry’s views on what routes are needed by the sector, for attracting new entrants into the industry and what routes or pathways we need for people to progress their careers.

The survey covers the craft and operational parts of the workforce and the professional, technical and managerial part of the workforce.

The scope of the survey covers building, civil engineering & infrastructure [including utilities] and building services engineering.

In this survey we are concentrating on generic routes which support several occupations. This is aimed at supporting the work of the Competency group and that on super sectors, which is focusing on what occupations are needed and how to define and measure ‘competency’.

The closing date for the survey is Thursday 3rd August 2023.*

*Please treat this survey as confidential.

Your details

Craft and Operational Workforce

1. CSCS SMART Cards

2. Apprenticeships

There has been a long history in parts of the sector to use apprenticeships as an entry route, or more recently for progression in the form of degree apprenticeships.

3. Alternative Entry Routes to Apprenticeships

It has been suggested that industry needs to create alternative routes of entry for young people and adults to sit alongside the apprenticeship in order to meet the level of skills demand. These could place more emphasis on training on-site to avoid placing more pressure on existing tutor/assessor shortages.

4. Vocational Qualifications (e.g. NVQs)

Since the 1980s the sector has used vocational competency qualifications, approved by the Standard Setting Boards/Sector Representation Organisations in the form of NVQs as an entry route or more recently to support progression from say a ‘blue’ carded status to a gold’ carded status.

5. New Suite of Vocational Qualifications

It has been suggested that the industry produce a new generation of knowledge and competency qualifications linked to agreed occupations. These would be modularised so that "small parts" of learning could be used for up-skilling and include training on green skills, digitisation and modern methods of construction. Modularisation is not about devaluing the core competencies by creating the "10 week carpenter"; it is about allowing training and accreditation to be more easily updated in line with technological changes.

6. T Levels

The Government has introduced three T Levels in Construction for England. These are new level 3 college based ‘knowledge’ qualifications intended as an entry qualification into employment, an apprenticeship or higher education.

7. Traineeships and Bootcamps

The Government for England has incorporated its trainee programme into a broader study programme for young people at college preparing to enter an apprenticeship. Bootcamps are similar and used for adults wishing to up-skill.

8. Labourer Entry

There has been a long history of people entering the workforce as a labourer and then either remaining a labourer or undertaking further training and development into a craft or operational role.

9. Other

10. Recruitment

Professional, Technical and Managerial (PT&M) Workforce

11. CSCS SMART Cards

12. Apprenticeships (Higher, Degree and Postgraduate)

The sector has only recently started to use degree and higher apprenticeships as an entry route or more recently to progression.

13. Alternative Entry Routes to Apprenticeships

It has been suggested that industry needs to create an alternative routes of entry for young people and adults to sit alongside the apprenticeship in order to meet the level of skills demand. These could place more emphasis on training on site to avoid placing more pressure on existing tutor/assessor shortages.

14. Vocational Qualifications (e.g. NVQs)

Since the 1980s the sector has used vocational competency qualifications, approved by the Standard Setting Boards/Sector Representation Organisations in the form of NVQs as an entry route or more recently to support progression from say from skilled craft to site management or technical roles.

15. New Suite of Vocational Qualifications

It has been suggested that the industry produce a new generation of knowledge and competency qualifications linked to agreed occupations. These would be modularised so that "small parts" of learning could be used for up-skilling and include training on green skills, digitisation and modern methods of construction. Modularisation is not about devaluing the core competencies by creating the "10 week civil engineer"; it is about allowing training and accreditation to be more easily updated in line with technological changes.

16. T Levels

The Government has introduced three T Levels in Construction for England. These are new level 3 college based ‘knowledge’ qualifications intended as an entry qualification into employment, an apprenticeship or higher education.

17. Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs)

The Government has recently started to introduce, in England only, Higher Technical Qualifications at level 4 and 5 related to Occupational Standards approved by IfATE.

18. Traineeships or Bootcamps

The Government has incorporated its trainee programme into a broader study programme for young people at college preparing to enter the PT&M workforce. Bootcamps are similar and used for adults.

19. Universities (excluding degree and postgraduate degrees)

There has been a long history of people entering the PT&M workforce through the route of a full-time degree or in some cases, a postgraduate course to help them enter the professional development programme and hence gain professional status.

20. Other

21. Recruitment

Thank you for your time.