Bristol based residential and commercial building firm Helm Construction is doing its bit to bridge the generation gap following media claims that construction sites have become no-go zones for younger workers.
The varied ages of skilled tradesmen on a Helm Construction site at Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church
The reports paint a picture of an industry with an aging workforce as more and more young people turn their backs on the trade to pursue careers in IT, finance and the services sector.
However, according to award winning Helm, there is little truth in the claims that the average age of a building worker had now reached 49 – and the company insists it is certainly not the case on Helm Construction sites.
Managing director Paul Evans said: “The idea building sites are being operated by a Dad’s Army of brickies and carpenters is completely off the mark.
“Some commentators are blaming workshy youngsters, saying they would rather sort data than stack bricks – but that has definitely not been our experience since we launched our in-house training programme back in the depths of the downturn.”
Thanks to the hugely active development pipeline in Bristol at the moment, which has seen a rise in the number of both residential and commercial schemes, Helm has tripled its tenders during the last six months. As a result, the firm is now back on the recruitment trail, and is seeking to supplement a mixed workforce made up of young apprentices and newly qualified or experienced tradesmen in their 40s and 50s.
“Unlike some building firms we are prepared to look at apprentices in their early twenties as well as their late teens – this gives youngsters a second opportunity to get proper training in the construction industry,” Evans continued.
“And we encourage the older, more experienced tradesmen running our in-house training programmes to keep their own qualifications up to date, constantly refining their own skill sets to keep abreast with the latest construction methods.
“We have built our business plan around attracting new youngsters into the industry, but we also need a backbone of experienced tradesmen who are able to pass on their skills, training up the next generation of brickies, carpenters, plumbers and plasterers.”
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