A SURVEY of 79,000 employers carried out by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) revealed a third of construction firms don’t train their staff – leading to more unfilled vacancies (40%) in that industry than any other.
Research also showed that 42% of almost 4,000 businesses using the LSC's Train to Gain Service have realised bottom-line benefits. These include higher productivity, increased profit margins, improved product and service quality, as well as improvements to staff loyalty and retention.

Through Train to Gain, the London-based construction firm FM Conway has trained 250 of its employees in a range of qualifications including operatives and masons through to plant operators.

Three employees have already progressed to Level 4 (degree level) qualifications in Health and Safety, one employee, Sharon Field, completed a range of training starting at Level 3 (A Level equivalent) through to Level 5 (postgraduate-degree equivalent) in Management. This helped her earn a promotion to director level and a status with the Chartered Management Institute.

Field said: 'Getting the training to improve my skills has renewed my self-confidence. I'm sure that it will strengthen my ability to support the company in its future growth. Training has also improved the performance and loyalty of my other colleagues - ultimately benefiting our company's bottom-line.'

John Cridland, deputy director general of the CBI agrees training can make a real difference:

'Unlocking the talent of employees through training can have a direct impact on a company's ability to flourish in the long term. A well-trained workforce is indispensible to its success and Train to Gain offers businesses tangible support and solutions to respond and excel.'

Nearly three quarters (74%) of employers engaged in Train to Gain reported staff had improved their skills and ability to do their job thanks to the training. In addition, 30% of employees had been promoted as a result of the training.

'Tens of thousands of employers have benefitted from Train to Gain and many are already seeing a substantial impact on their bottom line,' said Paul Holme, director of Skills for Employers at the Learning and Skills Council. 'What's more, learners are also reaping the rewards as they enjoy better skills and promotions. Our latest research shows that Train to Gain is helping to unlock staff potential through recommending and delivering relevant, job-specific training. I urge more organisations to follow suit and get involved and see the benefits of investing in training for the long term.'

The government has announced it will allocate more than £300m to the UK construction, hospitality and processing and manufacturing sectors to enable employers to improve the qualifications and skills of their workforces.

Skills gaps are further being plugged via the government's apprenticeships programme which employers can also access through Train to Gain. Training providers and colleges can also give employers skills and funding advice for their business.

For more information on Train to Gain call 0800 015 55 45 or visit traintogain.gov.uk