NFRC has successfully secured CITB backing to offer support to industry employers to recruit and retain the workforce they need.
The England Construction Opportunities (‘ECO’) project supports new entrants and their employers to sustain employment from job start to six months in the job. This includes people who have never worked in construction before and people who have spent a significant amount of time away from the industry and now want to return.
Support is provided in the workplace through job coaching, mentoring, employer engagement, peer and buddy systems or other appropriate measures. Having extra support available means that new entrants are more likely to want to stay in their role and in the industry.
Through the project, NFRC can:
- Support roofing employers to recruit and retain ‘new or returning to the industry’ employees (in a wide range of roles, including on-site jobs as well as supervisors, designers, project managers and office support staff)
- Guide the employer through the recruitment and interview stages
- Source site-readiness training for the new employee (if required)
- Guide the employer through accessing CITB grants for ongoing employment support for the new employee
- Offer in-work advice and support to both employer and employee.
Employers who are considering growing their workforce, or have recently employed someone who is new to the industry, can get in touch with NFRC to work together through the ECO project.
Ruth Scarrott, NFRC’s Head of Careers, said:
‘The sector has the opportunity to ensure that roofing is a real and positive career choice for all. The skills shortage in our industry is not a new challenge, but it needs to be tackled, especially as a high proportion of people in our industry are due to retire within the next ten years, and as we have a lack of diversity in the workforce. The ECO project is a fantastic mechanism to support both employers and individuals in the roofing sector and give them targeted and appropriate support to aid employee retention and development.‘
Roofing employers, employees and those looking to enter the industry can access the free NFRC Roofing Careers Service. NFRC Members can also receive bespoke careers support as part of their membership.
