Christopher Stride, Chairman of Insulated Concrete Formwork Association, explains how we can build Britain back better in the face of a major skills shortage
We’ve heard the headlines by now – the UK is “short of construction skills”. And it’s not just a little short, it’s a chronic shortage that is holding back our housing targets and slowing retrofits – and that’s before we even consider our net-zero ambitions.
Let me be clear that I am not making a case for any of this being fixed overnight.
But we cannot keep relying solely on traditional trades. There just aren’t enough skilled workers to go around.
I happen to believe there is a practical and proven way to ease the pressure by embracing more modern methods of construction when developing new homes.
Using them to support our workforce and create opportunities to upskill people while keeping productivity up.
One example is Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF), an external wall build method that combines insulation and structural strength in a single concrete-filled system. Most importantly, it doesn’t demand years of trade experience to get it right, which, given what we’re talking about with the skills shortage, really matters, especially if you are training apprentices quickly.
That is how we meet our housing goals and retrofit ambitions, without compromising quality or energy performance.
Productivity must “sit at the heart” of the skills debate
The reality is that this challenge is now well understood at an industry level.
Evidence from bodies such as the CITB and the Construction Leadership Council points to an ageing workforce, declining numbers of new entrants and a pipeline of work that far exceeds available labour.
Taken together, that makes productivity, not recruitment alone, the defining issue for the next decade.
Modern methods such as ICF directly address this by reducing labour intensity, shortening build programmes and delivering more predictable outcomes on site.
Crucially, they also align with wider priorities around building safety, energy efficiency, thermal performance and whole life sustainability, which is why modern methods are increasingly referenced in government strategy and adopted by forward-thinking developers and contractors.
Pulling together
Ultimately, technology alone isn’t enough to move the needle. If we are really serious about solving the skills crisis, the industry needs to pull together.
That is to say, Government, employers, training providers…they all have a role to play, rather than each blaming the other.
Policies need to encourage innovation, for example, and employers must be willing to invest in training.
Maybe then we can build a resilient, capable workforce that is fit for the future that is coming.
It’s also important to say that ICF is not a gimmick. It is not a replacement for skilled trades. It is a tool.
A tool that lets us deliver faster, smarter, and greener homes while training the next generation of construction professionals. And right now, we need that more than ever.
The question is simple…do we stick with the old ways and hope for the best, or do we take action and finally build Britain back, but better?
I know what my answer is.
Christopher Stride. Chairman, Insulated Concrete Formwork Association (ICFA)