President of the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) Stacey Lucas
With the building controls market seeing consistent demand and the UK government keen to tackle ‘green’ skills shortages and boost opportunities to enter the workforce, there is an urgent need to attract young talent to take up careers in the Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) sector. That’s the view of president of the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) Stacey Lucas.
National Apprenticeship Week, which took place last month, gave everyone in the BEMS sector the ideal opportunity to shine a spotlight on how varied and rewarding a career in Building Controls can be, as well as highlighting routes into the industry through the Level 4 BEMS Controls Engineer apprenticeship programme.
Apprenticeships, and other technical education programmes such as T-levels play an important role in the improvement and development of not only organisations but the broader industry.
Despite this increased need however, the Labour government has raised concerns over the ‘plummeting numbers of apprenticeships’, highlighting widespread skills shortages and a lack of opportunities for young people. As a result, it has proposed a Skills Guarantee for all young adults aged 18 to 21. This strategy will aim to provide every individual in that age group with guaranteed access to training, support in funding employment, or an apprenticeship.
This initiative, and a real focus on providing apprentices and young professionals with clear career paths and opportunities, will leave a lasting positive impression on the BEMS sector, ensuring a brighter and more prosperous future.
A reduced skills gap
The skills gap is being felt throughout the built environment, but none more so than in the BEMS and Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sectors. Indeed, government research has revealed a staggering statistic that in the past two years, 46% of businesses have struggled to recruit for roles that require data skills.
Allowing BEMS businesses to develop their future specialists from the ground up and nurture a healthy pipeline of future talent, apprenticeship programmes are an effective solution to the skills gap. This is especially time sensitive, given the revelation the UK is set to have 300,000 fewer workers under the age of 30 this year, but one million more workers over 50-years-of-age.
A more motivated workforce
Having been given a clear pathway to their career goals, apprentices are often more engaged and motivated than some of their colleagues. In fact, they are likely to have chosen to pursue an apprenticeship because they are interested in the work and eager to learn the skills they need to succeed in their chosen field.
Furthermore, with a clear pathway mapped out through their careers, apprentices will know what they need to do to advance and develop their skills. This gives them extra motivation and a sense of purpose, helping them stay engaged in their work. Conversely, the additional drive and motivation shown by apprentices can also inspire their more-experienced colleagues to take greater pride in own work and appreciate the career they’ve dedicated much of their lives to.
Indeed, this goes some way to explaining why 92% of companies that have taken on apprentices believe doing so leads to a more satisfied and motivated workforce.
Improved staff retention and loyalty
Studies have found that the majority of apprentices are more committed and loyal to the organisation or company that trained them. Indeed, research by Drive My Career revealed 95% of apprentices would stay with their company if they were offered a job after their apprenticeship.
In fact, the opportunity for further development is a major factor in company loyalty, with many candidates choosing to enrol on apprenticeship programmes because of the career paths and structured progression offered. Not only does this enhance staff retention, it also reduces recruitment costs.
Long-term skills development
One of the biggest benefits of introducing apprenticeships and training programmes is the long-term skills development, not only for apprentices and new recruits but any existing employees, too. Typically, apprenticeship standards across the BEMS sector are developed by employers and leading names in the industry, so apprenticeship programmes are designed to be the best, and most appropriate, for the industry.
With technology advancing all the time and BEMS regulations ever-changing, it’s important for any business owner to keep the company up-to-date with the best practice behaviours and compliant with any regulation changes. Having gained significant knowledge and understanding of the industry through the training programmes, apprentices will be able to help upskill existing employees, ensuring the workforce is able to adapt to developments and changes in the BEMS sector.
More diversified teams
While hiring talent through established methods, such as recruitment agencies, has its benefits, encouraging young people from different educational and social backgrounds to begin careers in the BEMS sector is a highly effective way of bringing brand new ideas and fresh perspectives into the business. Ongoing training, T-levels and apprenticeships offer ways of diversifying the workforce and increasing the representation of a multitude of backgrounds.
Indeed, around 33% of employers state that apprenticeships have helped improve diversity within their company.
With demand for smarter buildings increasing due to a sharper focus on sustainability and energy efficiency and the government’s target of net zero by 2050, the attraction and retention of talented young professionals in the BEMS sector has never been more important – especially with this year likely to see one million more workers over the age of 50.
Creating a pathway for talent of all ages to gain formal BEMS skills and enabling any company to develop and upskill while creating an engaged workforce that’s more likely to stay with the business for many years, apprenticeship programmes are a worthwhile investment for any BEMS business owner.
To further drive quality standards and encourage more into the industry, the BCIA introduced the BEMS Controls Engineer Apprenticeship three years ago. The Level 4 technical apprenticeship scheme currently has 245 apprentices of varying ages on programme, a significant achievement and reflective of a growing sector where specialist skills are essential.
It’s therefore pertinent for any BEMS business owner to review their recruitment strategy and consider an apprenticeship scheme, such as the BCIA’s Level 4 course, to help secure a brighter future for the sector and better built buildings for the end user.