HBF

Home Building Skills Partnership launches skills pledge



The Home Building Skills Partnership has launched a skills pledge committing signatories to working with their subcontractors to recruit and train more people to the highest standards.


Over 50 Home Builders Federation (HBF) members have signed up, including all its larger members and an increasing number of small- and medium-sized members, which means companies that are responsible for over half of the homes built in England are already committed.

The skills pledge is the latest initiative to be launched by the Home Building Skills Partnership, a pan-industry body set up to tackle the industry’s skills shortage.

The partnership – which was set up 18 months ago – has already started to deliver on its objective of attracting and training the people the industry needs to deliver more high-quality homes in the future.

The Home Building Skills Pledge – which has been developed by the HBF and its members – will cover five key areas: collaborate and share; train to a standard; engage and support; champion diversity and inclusion; and promote careers.

Companies that sign up to the pledge will also be supporting the HBF’s Home Building Skills Partnership and working to its shared goals.

“It is extremely encouraging to see momentum building for collectively solving the housing skills crisis,” said Jenny Herdman, director of the Home Building Skills Partnership.

“We face a huge challenge, but also have a unique opportunity to make a difference and be part of a combined demonstration that a career in housebuilding provides huge opportunities and prospects.

“We want to see the whole industry getting on board in the coming weeks, and working to make the skills gap a thing of the past.

“We urge all home builders to join us and sign up now.”

Alok Sharma, the housing and planning minister, added: “This government is committed to building many more homes in the places people want to live across the country.

“To do that we need an industry that has the right skills to build, including new and innovative methods.”



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