The skills gap is widely recognised as a significant inhibitor to manufacturing and export-driven growth – two vital ingredients needed for re-balancing the UK economy. Addressing it requires a strategic and more collective approach and the CEA’s Skills Advisory Panel, drawn from key stakeholders in and around the construction equipment industry aims to make a difference in the skills challenge on behalf of the sector. Far from being just a ‘talking shop’ the Skills Advisory Panel is determined to address the skills issue seriously by providing a comprehensive review of the situation and developing meaningful strategic and practical solutions.

 

A generic issue is that not all employers within CEA membership are proactive in workforce skills development. Training budgets are often very low and with investment in people and skills vastly less than in equipment, time for training release can be severely limited. Emphasis on skills can often be just at the point of recruitment, with a focus on mandatory and company-specific training rather than broader development. In addition, most companies do not have apprentices.

 

This Skills Toolkit Portal aims to facilitate a greater engagement by CEA member companies in contributing to a closing of the skills gap. It will be maintained and updated regularly and is commended for use by companies across our industry.