Joined up thinking to tackle construction skills deficit

Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) have banded together to help address the shortage of innovation skills in the industry.

Sarah Beale is shown around by CSIC's Stephen Good during a tour of the facility. Picture: PA

The new partnership will create a “strategic relationship” to help identify and deliver the future skills and training required for the construction sector, while ramping up productivity.

The tie-up aims to incentivise and support innovation by providing access and training provision for industry players, further education providers and public sector partners within the Innovation Factory, CSIC’s 35,000 square feet hub that provides access to state-of-the-art equipment.

Rohan Bush, head of public partnerships and future workforce at CSIC, said: “Our objective is to support the construction workforce to become more innovative, dynamic and globally competitive. Similarly, CITB has identified the need to develop future skills and innovation within the workforce as part of its reform programme.”

Sarah Beale, chief executive at CITB, said: “Our new partnership with CSIC will enable us to work together to help the Scottish construction industry develop the future skills it needs to boost productivity, attract new entrants, and meet the challenges of a changing economy.”