THE Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is backing the launch of the new sector skills plan for the repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) heritage and traditional build sector.
Led by the National Federation of Builders (NFB) and developed in partnership with employers, industry groups, education providers, and heritage organisations, the plan identifies five priority areas where collaborative action is needed: workforce development, sector leadership, training provision, net zero and climate change, and procurement.
The plan will be unveiled at the NFB’s Heritage and Traditional Build conference, taking place at Painters’ Hall, the 16th century home of the Worship Company of Painter-Stainers.
The heritage construction sector plays a crucial role in preserving historic buildings and places across the UK, but employers face challenges in recruiting and developing workers with the specialist and technical skills needed to carry out restorations, conservation, and maintenance work.
The RMI (Heritage and Traditional Build) Sector Skills Plan forms part of CITB’s wider programme of sector skills plans. Three plans have already been launched covering homebuilding, infrastructure and RMI (domestic retrofit).
Tim Balcon, chief executive of CITB, said, “The heritage construction sector is responsible for maintaining some of our most important landmarks and buildings. This sector skills plan has been developed by the industry, for the industry, bringing together training providers, employers, and stakeholder organisations to help identify the actions that need to take place to strengthen the future of the workforce. CITB is proud to support and invest in this industry-owned initiative, to help give a greater say to employers in how skills support is shaped, while also opening pathways for new entrants and safeguarding specialist expertise for generations to come.”
James M. Butcher, deputy chief executive of the NFB, and the industry chair of the plan, said, “With one in five homes and one in three commercial properties traditionally built, ensuring that we have a sufficient and competent workforce able to look after these buildings is essential and that is what this plan is all about. Whether it is repairing, maintaining, improving, renovating, restoring, retrofitting or adapting for the future, there is plenty of work to be done but not always the supply chain able to do it. This plan acts as a framework, setting out the key skills challenges facing our part of the sector and calling for action from across industry to help tackle them. Protecting heritage and traditional buildings for the future requires a lot of love and attention, and keeping heritage and traditional build skills alive does too.”
The RMI (Heritage and Traditional Build) Sector Skills Plan can be read on the CITB website.
