Hansard

The Scottish Government very much recognises the importance of a thriving construction industry to Scotland’s economy. We also acknowledge that the sector faces recruitment challenges, and we aim to address those primarily through the Construction Leadership Forum, which is a collaborative structure involving industry, workforce representatives, public sector agencies and the Scottish Government and is chaired by the Minister for Business.

The main focus of the Construction Leadership Forum’s skills working group, which is co-chaired by Skills Development Scotland, is work on boosting the workforce, in recognition of the fact that the sector requires a significant, skilled workforce to deliver our net zero goals.

The United Kingdom Construction Industry Training Board figures suggest that there is an annual recruitment gap in Scotland of around 5,000 people, and estimates suggest that the industry needs 64,000 new people in the next decade. However, demand is not geographically uniform, as the excellent CITB biannual report of where the workforce is located clearly demonstrates. CITB data also suggests that there is a disconnect between the number of young people embarking on construction-related courses in our colleges and the number who go on to work in the sector. That is a situation that we need to understand the causes of and address. I want to recognise the constructive role that is played by CITB in all of this work.

Apprenticeships are absolutely vital in helping to develop a pipeline of talent for the construction industry, as well as for other key sectors. That is why we continue to invest significant funding in our apprenticeships in order to meet the needs of employers, the workforce, young people and Scotland’s economy.

Construction apprenticeships continue to have one of the highest take-ups of modern apprenticeships, accounting for a quarter of all modern apprenticeship starts in 2023-24 as well as the highest number of modern apprenticeships in training, comprising a third overall. Foundation and graduate apprenticeships are also available for construction, ensuring that our overall apprenticeship package provides a wide range of rewarding career options within the sector. However, we can and must do more. Costs, economic confidence and apprenticeship delivery are all areas that need to be addressed. That might involve considering different pathways into the industry, looking beyond traditional City and Guilds four-year apprenticeships.

I am also very much alive to the role of private sector provision in all of this, having visited the national construction college in Inchinnan a few months ago. There is no doubt that, in setting out to tackle construction industry shortages, we need to consider who is best placed to deliver training and where. Further, we need to recognise that, when it comes to our colleges and businesses seeking to have courses delivered in their localities, we require those businesses to come together to ensure that there is a critical mass of trainees and a pipeline in place to make that delivery viable over a sustained period. If not, the ask can become unaffordable.

The Scottish Government remains committed to an all-age careers support offer that supports people to progress to rewarding careers. Learners must choose their own paths. However, we need to ensure that, in making their choices, they are aware of the range of potential pathways and are informed by up-to-date information about the likely labour market trends and the potential economic outcomes of their choices, and that the opportunities that are available in the construction sector are highlighted.

Work to introduce young people to careers in construction and let them experience the opportunities that are available has been taken forward across Scotland by Developing the Young Workforce, which is embedding construction work tasters into schools. That three-year project, funded by the CITB, has been co-developed with the DYW network, employers and young people.

That sits alongside the work that Skills Development Scotland is doing to provide an all-age career service in every local authority area. The SDS careers advisers who are involved in that service are well placed to provide awareness of opportunities in the construction sector. However, they are not the principal influence on young people when it comes to settling on a career pathway. As Gordon MacDonald highlighted, the biggest influence is parents and carers, and there is undoubtedly work to be done in tackling the bias against trades that we see even though each and every household in this country is reliant on the services that trades provide. I believe that there is more to be done to tackle such prejudices and encourage young people to view jobs in construction in a positive light—I say that as the son of a joiner. Good money and rewarding careers are to be found in construction. The scaffolders I saw undergoing training at Inchinnan are an example of that.

Subject to legislative processes, the reform agenda for post-school education and skills will bring together all apprenticeship funding into one organisation, making it more streamlined, transparent and easier to direct and deliver. I want that future offer to better support SME participation, the need for which Gordon MacDonald also highlighted.

As we look to the future, and as part of a wider-ranging reform agenda, we will give careful consideration to the necessary balance of apprenticeships across key economic sectors to meet wider economic and industry demand, including within our vital construction sector.

In the recent programme for government, the First Minister committed to bringing together employers, colleges, universities, and other partners to ensure that the system is responsive to regional and national skills needs, and work to deliver that is progressing well. However, it will take a little time for us to see the fruits of that and it will take a bit longer than that to produce completed apprenticeships. So, we also need an uplift in available skilled workers now.

Scotland needs talented and committed people from across the world to be able to work and study here without excessive barriers. The evidence shows that those who choose Scotland as their home help grow our economy, increase productivity and innovation and address skills shortages.

Migration policy should support mobility, collaboration and innovation and must suitably reflect the skills requirements of all sectors of the economy. The United Kingdom Government’s immigration white paper proposes changes that are short-sighted and will prove damaging to sectors that rely heavily on international talent, including our construction sector. We will continue to press the UK Government to urgently work with us to deliver tailored migration solutions for Scotland and prevent the harm to our economy, communities, and public services that the policy decisions in yesterday’s white paper will undoubtedly lead to.

Through our Government’s strategic approach to growing a green and fair economy, we will continue to ensure that Scotland is known for championing fair work, for succeeding in new industries and for progress in a range of innovative sectors. Of course, the construction industry is central to the success of that work, particularly around our green industrial strategy, where the sector will play a vital role in the supply chains for renewable energy and housing. However, we must also not lose sight of the vital role of traditional building skills—stonemasonry being a case in point—in the maintenance of existing infrastructure, and ensure that they are promoted to the next generation as career options.

I thank Gordon MacDonald for securing the debate, for delivering an informed opening speech and for co-hosting with Alex Rowley the construction skills demonstration outside Parliament tomorrow. I look forward to attending and taking part, though I should warn him that the building-skills gene has, unfortunately, skipped a generation in my case. I am my father’s son in many regards, but not that one.