I believe we as an industry are not training enough, and when we look at the reasons behind this, it seems that we view training as an inconvenient cost.

This month I would like to focus on the real benefits of training, such as retention, staff loyalty and the assurance that the skills needed within a firm are in place for succession, planning for the future and so on.

Estimators, designers, contracts managers and quantity surveyors are among industry groups in which contractors are complaining of severe shortages.

There is the additional complaint that when they employ tradesmen they cannot retain them because the tradesmen continually get poached.

In my experience, people don’t usually leave their job solely for a pay increase.

There is often another, more deep-seated dissatisfaction whereby they cannot see any way to develop either themselves or their careers.

In my view, if you can give staff the vision and opportunity to meet their aspirations within a company, they are much less likely to leave.

This can apply to all levels of workers within the industry.

Labourers can be given the opportunity to become craftsmen, craftsmen can train as estimators or contract managers and junior managers can be given the opportunity to become directors or even part owners in the future.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor