Industry talks skills

05/10/2016 | HIGHWAYS REPORTERS

Delegates at this year’s Highway Skills event heard that the sector must do more to attract people into apprenticeships.

Highway Skills - Delivering a workforce fit for the future, was organised by the National Highways Academy and Highways Magazine, and took place at the London Transport Museum last Thursday (29 September). The aim of the event was to bring together key stakeholders within the industry sector to assess, strategise and collaborate as to how skills can be maximised for the future workforce.

Sir Terry Morgan (pictured), chair of the government’s transport and infrastructure skills strategy and chairman of Crossrail, was the keynote speaker.

During his address which was entitled ‘Defining a skills strategy that meets sector and employer needs’, Mr Morgan described infrastructure as “vital to the well being of the economy.”

Last year the government pledged to create more than 30,000 apprenticeship places across the road and rail industry by 2020.

Morgan told delegates that Crossrail now had 602 apprentices to date, but recognised that more must be done to attract people into apprenticeships across the transport sector.

“How do we grow apprenticeships and achieve the aspiration of 30,000 by 2020?”, he asked delegates. “From next May if you don’t have an apprenticeship programme you will be paying one per cent tax on your payroll through the apprenticeship levy. It’s for employers to bid into that process to ensure they get support for their programmes. There’s a lot of work to be done between now and next May to make sure that we as employers understand how best we can take up the opportunities that the levy will bring.”

The Department for Transport (DfT), alongside its delivery bodies, including Highways England and Network Rail, will now work with their suppliers to ensure apprenticeships are at the heart of contracts which will deliver the government’s multi-billion pound rail and road investment programme.

Depending on the contract, this means suppliers will either create one apprenticeship for every £3 million to £5m of taxpayers’ money spent, or deliver a percentage increase in the number of apprentices employed each year during the lifetime of the contract.

The strategy builds upon the work of major projects like Crossrail, which has used responsible contract arrangements to create hundreds of apprenticeships since construction began in 2009.

“This will challenge the transport sector to do something significantly different to what has been achieved to date,” noted Morgan. “Each transport sector is now committed to achieving their part of the 30,000 apprentices.”

Concluding, Morgan said that the highways industry and transport sector in general must keep delivering key messages to government.

“The message to government is that investment in infrastructure not only creates macro-economic benefits, it also brings about social change.

“In my mind government will continue to prioritise infrastructure providing there’s a bigger prize. It’s the macro impact that will very often keep politicians supportive. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens in the Autumn Statement, but the signs are that investment in road and rail will continue. Investment will continue provided we can keep the message that as an industry we’re fit for purpose and that not only can we deliver the programme on time and within cost, but that we have the skills to deliver it.”

Other speakers at the event included: Russell Wallis, divisional director, Highways England; Kate Myers, head of skills & employment, HS2; Jonathan Cheeseman, HR business director, Colas; Richard Hayes, CEO, Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE); Graham Candy, HR business partner for transportation, Atkins; George Lee, CEO, Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA); Roger Williams, network & asset manager, East Sussex Highways; Joanne Garwood, central services director, FM Conway; Steve Radley, policy & partnerships director, Construction Industry Training Board (CITB); Gary Schofield – HSEQS & technical services manager, Total.

Look out for a full review of the Highway Skills event in the November edition of Highways Magazine.

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Senior Civil Engineer - Major Projects x 4

£45,894.00 - £54,952.00
We are looking for experienced engineers to help us progress a number of key projects and programmes Glasgow, Glasgow City
Recruiter: Transport Scotland

Technician - Maintenance

£31001.0000 - £36471.0000 per annum
Essex Highways is responsible for managing and maintaining one of the largest highway networks in the country
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Highways Contract Engineer

£46,731 - £49,764
The team helps provide a safe road network that operates efficiently and effectively.  Northamptonshire
Recruiter: North Northamptonshire Council

Principal Transport Planner

£46,731 - £49,764 (pro-rata)
We are looking for an experienced professional to join us on a six-month temporary contact as a Principal Transport Planner. Kettering, Northamptonshire
Recruiter: North Northamptonshire Council

Highways Maintenance Operative

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a Permanent Highways Maintenance Operative Broughton, Brigg
Recruiter: Amey

Head of Highways Contracts & Network

£81,803 progressing to £90,664 per annum
The team includes approximately 60 directly employed HCC people Hertfordshire
Recruiter: Hertfordshire County Council

Principal Construction Manager

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for a Permanent Principal Construction Manager Yorkshire and the Humber
Recruiter: Amey

Quality Technician

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for a Permanent Quality Technician Yorkshire and the Humber
Recruiter: Amey

Senior Highway Engineer (Development Management)

£42679.0000 - £50211.0000 per annum
Senior Highway Engineer (Development Management)Permanent, Full Time£43,960 to £51,718 per annum*Location
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Project Manager (Major Projects)

£44,711 - £47,754
Are you an experienced project professional or engineer with looking to take the next step in your career? Halifax, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council

Senior Civil Engineer - Roads

£45,894 - £54,952
Are you an experienced engineer looking to support the Scottish Government’s national objectives. Scotland
Recruiter: Transport Scotland

Project Team Manager

£55,147 to £60,676 per annum
We are pleased to be able to offer an opportunity for a role as Design Team Manager Norwich, Norfolk
Recruiter: Norfolk County Council

Clerk of Works

GRADE 08 (£37,938 - £41,511)
Warrington is one of the most successful towns in the country Warrington, Cheshire
Recruiter: Warrington Borough Council

Assistant Projects Engineer

GRADE 06 (£29,093 - £32,654),GRADE 07 (£33,366 - £37,035), GRADE 08 (£37,938 - £41,511)
Warrington is one of the most successful towns in the country Warrington, Cheshire
Recruiter: Warrington Borough Council

Principal Engineer - Traffic Management

£45,718 - £48,710 per annum
At Bath & North East Somerset Council we have one overriding purpose – to improve people’s lives. Bath, Somerset
Recruiter: Bath & North East Somerset Council

Vehicle Technician - Improver

£28,624 - £30,060
Transport Services is responsible for all aspects of transport and related services Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Kirklees Metropolitan Council

Programme Delivery Office Administrator

Grade 9 £31,344 - £33,253 per annum
At Derbyshire, we have been on a journey to transform the way we deliver highway services to make them fit for the future Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Support Officer - Highways Asset Management Systems

£31,586 - £34,314
We are a forward-thinking organisation dedicated to maintaining and improving our highway infrastructure. Lincolnshire
Recruiter: Lincolnshire County Council

Principal Transport Planner (Strategy)

£46,731-£49,764
We are looking for an experienced professional to join North Northamptonshire Council as a Principal Transport Planner (Strategy). Sheerness House, 41 Meadow Road, Kettering moving to Haylock House, Kettering Parkway, Kettering NN15 6EY, United Kingdom
Recruiter: North Northamptonshire Council

Electrical Engineer

Grade 9 £34,314 to £37,938 - Grade 10 £37,035 to £40,476 - Grade 11 £39,513 to £43,693 - Grade 12 £42,708 to £46,731 p.a.
The Construction Consultancy Services (CCS) team provide client-side construction consultancy services across a range of professional disciplines to d Durham
Recruiter: Durham County Council
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Latest Video

Subscribe to Highways today to ensure you keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in the UK road network throughout the year.

SUBSCRIBE NOW