The Building Podcast
Mark Wakeford is Chairman of the National Federation of Builders, vice-chair at Constructing Excellence Midlands and a Governor at Construction College, Moulton College. He has run a large regional building contractor and now chairs Evoenergy, one of the UK's foremost renewable companies, bringing low carbon solutions to corporate Britain.
Mark talks to leading experts from across the construction sector to discuss issues facing the built environment. He explores various challenges with his guests, who offer solutions, information and ideas that listeners can apply to their own situations, be it in a company, on a project or studying at college.
The Building Podcast aims to provide CPD on the go. Supporting the sector with easily digestible ideas to support a rapidly changing industry!
The Building Podcast
Mark talks to Jason Howe
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Construction is a professional business requiring skilled and competent people to design and deliver its product. These skills are created through experience and training. Training is provided by a range of organisations that are responsible for the quality and range of courses. Jason Howe is the Technical Advisor for Construction, Green Skills and the Built Environment for City & Guilds. He advises on the provision of skills to our sector and he is passionate about the quality of our courses and employer engagement to inform the quality and to improve the outcomes for students. The key qualification is the apprenticeship and as a previous carpentry apprentice Jason is well placed to argue the benefits of an apprenticeship, both for the students and for the employers who take on these students.
Apprenticeships are the gold standard of construction training, but employers often misunderstand how to derive the maximum benefit from taking on an apprentice. Jason talks us through the processes, pointing out the stages and urging employers to get engaged with the scheme, whether supporting an apprentice or providing work experience to showcase their business. If employers fail to engage with colleges and students then our industry will only have itself to blame for an ongoing skills shortage!