Developed in partnership with Tribuco, the programme aims to improve both quality and skills, which in turn will boost worker productivity and address the estimated £21 billion in losses each year from poor workmanship
The online construction skills programme will feature a digital suite of resources, including animations, videos, and guides, designed for use in the workplace or training environments.
Both the Supply Chain Sustainability School and the Chartered Institute of Building Academy will allow free sharing of the programme.
The programme is being developed with £193,000 in Industry Impact Funding provided by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).
Improved skills will mean improved delivery
The digital learning initiative aims to help hit national housing targets.
Equans is developing the programme based on research into performance trends, which revealed that many existing training programmes and tools focus on ‘reactive snagging’—teaching how to fix issues after they occur—rather than proactive approaches that prevent problems from arising in the first place.
Laura Wilson, learning and development manager at Equans UK & Ireland, said: “This mobile-first approach transforms how we build competence across our workforce, getting new workers site-ready faster while keeping experienced teams at the top of their game.
“By delivering free, micro-video guides that aligns with national policy priorities, the initiative is designed to benefit not just participating firms but the wider construction workforce – helping to raise standards, reduce rework, and accelerate housing delivery in a compliant and sustainable way.”
Further skills investment in Aberdeen
The skills gap in the construction industry is well-documented, and considerable support and funding, both public and private, have been invested in tackling the issue over the past year.
At the end of September, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board opened their largest Energy Transition Skills Hub in Aberdeen. The Hub includes an advanced manufacturing zone and welding academy.
Courses on offer will equip students with the skills and knowledge to lead the way in the energy transition and sustainable construction.
ECITB supported the project costs, with £400,000 of funding towards the £10m total.
Andrew Hockey, CEO of ECITB, said: “The ECITB forecasts that 40,000 additional workers could be needed across the engineering construction industry (ECI) for major projects, including those related to net zero, by 2030.
“Without a pipeline of trained, skilled workers, all this risks not being achieved, which is why we’re working with industry partners in the UK’s industrial cluster regions to grow the number of skilled engineers and craftspeople we need now and in the future, such as in trades like welding.
“As an integral part of workforce development and supporting the pipeline of new recruits into the energy industry, the Energy Transition Skills Hub will be central to the success of the long-term project to support the transition to renewable energies in North East Scotland.
“The ECITB is delighted to support the project and work in partnership with the industry consortium to inspire the next generation of engineers and welders to help close the skills gap in the ECI.”
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