Question reference: S6W-00573
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 10 June 2021 Registered interest
-
Current status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 23 June 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Construction Industry Training Board paper, Construction Skills Network Labour Market Intelligence Report, which estimates that 26,250 construction workers will be needed in Scotland by 2025, and what support it can provide to that sector to identify and train new staff.
Answer
Construction is a core sector of the Scottish economy which supports 143,000 jobs across Scotland. The report shows this is projected to continue to grow and recognises the need for a skilled workforce to support the sector.
Scottish Government is already taking action through:
Apprenticeships
During 2020-21 we supported 5,033 people into modern apprenticeships in the construction sector.
The Scottish Government will continue to work collaboratively with Skills Development Scotland to maximise apprenticeships and prioritise a recovery that protects and creates jobs and supports our young people.
Upskilling and Retraining through NTTF
NTTF will continue in 2021-22 and we will continue to develop the support available to the sector to meet new and emerging skills demands.
We will continue to work with the sector through our Skills agency, Skills Development Scotland, to ensure we’re supporting the sector to address skills shortages.
Supporting Transition to net Zero
A key aspect of future training and skills development will be the support to deliver our net zero ambitions, with heat in buildings a critical element.
The Scottish Government and the Fair Work Convention are taking action to embed Fair Work in the sector to help attract and retain workers and support skills.