SECURING THE FUTURE OF CONSTRUCTION SKILLS

In Autumn 2024, Sterling Plastering launched its pioneering Change Academy. By summer 2025, 20 new plasterers will have completed its forward-thinking training programme.  

The blueprint implemented by the Knowsley-based firm bridges the gap between employment and self-employment for construction workers, an ever-present issue for housebuilders.

A pipeline of talent

The founders of Sterling Plastering, Chris Cox and Jeff Murphy, have spent the last nine years growing their company. While the firm earned an enviable reputation, its annual turnover reached £12 million.

The firm is a leading supplier of plastering and dry lining to household names, including Taylor Wimpey, Redrow and Keepmoat. Meeting this ongoing demand requires a pipeline of skilled plasterers, a historical challenge for the firm.

Chris explains:

‘Every construction skill is in demand across the entire country. With the housebuilding mandate of the Labour Government, this has become more critical.

‘The average age of a tradesman is well into their 40s, and most, even those newly entering the industry, opt for self-employment. This is against the backdrop of many current workers approaching retirement.

‘Finding, and retaining, employed talent in the building trade has become increasingly challenging during the last decade.’

A workforce vision

Determined to address the skills gap, the pair teamed up with Keepmoat Homes and Hugh Baird College to establish a plastering academy.  The result is focused on bringing equal benefits to both the construction sector and the individuals enrolling on training.

By creating an academy that combines hands-on experience and site-ready skills backed up with mentorship, the programme fills the skills gap and sets a new standard for attracting and retaining talent.

Rookie plasterers are recruited onto a Level 2 Plastering Apprenticeship. Through the Change Academy, they learn the technical and practical aspects of plastering and dry lining. Their training includes being immersed in an environment that mirrors conditions when working on-site:

• Purpose-built facility: Apprentices train in a specially designed site that includes an actual home mirroring those they will be working in on-site. This mock environment allows them to gain hands-on experience in a realistic setting.
• On-the-job learning: Apprentices spend one day a week at the training facility and four days working closely with colleagues and a mentor on a building site.
• A well-rounded programme: Training covers technical skills like dry lining and rendering and develops professional knowledge such as substrate preparation. But apprentices also learn the value of teamwork, reliability, and customer service, which are essential qualities for a successful career.

Homegrown Talent

The Change Academy provides experiences that are as similar as possible to the real world of work.  Trainees clock in and out at the training venue, just like on a construction site. The classroom is in a container, so they’re fully prepared for the environment that greets them on an actual housing development.

Ensuring these newly qualified plasters stay with Sterling Plastering[https://www.sterlingplasteringltd.co.uk/about-us/] has been at the forefront of the firm’s decision to establish the training academy. Generally, most plasterers become self-employed, posing a recruitment challenge for Liverpool City Region firms and the wider construction industry.

Sterling’s ambition is to keep homegrown talent within their ranks. So, once an apprentice is qualified, the firm has a model offering them employment security and a regular wage, plus financial incentives to boost their income.

Through piece-work payments and productivity incentives, newly employed plasterers will significantly increase their take-home pay while removing any financial risk of self-employment.

The future of construction

By summer 2025, the academy will have produced its first cohort of skilled plasterers, with another 20 recruits lined up to begin training in September. By 2026, the academy expects to have introduced 40 new plasterers into the workforce, a crucial step in addressing skills shortages.  

The academy’s potential extends far beyond Sterling Plastering. Jeff sees this as just the beginning:

‘The ageing workforce in construction is a ticking time bomb.

‘The approach we have taken needs to be rolled out urgently and on an industrial scale to other trades such as bricklaying, electricians, and carpentry.

‘The government-backed Homebuilding Skills Hubs [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-skills-hubs-launched-to-get-britain-building] mirror our initiative and are another example of how businesses, education providers and industry leaders need to come together to tackle the problem head-on.

‘This time next year, we will have even more plasterers out on-site.  Proof that when you apply a forward-thinking and collaborative approach, the results will follow.’

Building the region

The Government has pledged to build 1.5 million homes during the current Parliament. The Construction Industry Training Board estimates that more than 200,000 additional workers will be required by 2028.  

With such a demand, the industry must evolve and become more diverse. More female and BAME entrants to hands-on construction roles will help shift the dial. Alongside this, training places need to grow exponentially.

LCR BeMore has a team of skills brokers [https://lcrbemore.co.uk/employer-support-brokerage-support/] who can help firms access funding, local grants, and government incentives to recruit and upskill workers.