Section: People in Housing
Shortfall in Brownfield Workforce Predicted
Research informing the draft Brownfield Skills Strategy was published by the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC) and national regeneration agency English Partnerships.
The draft Brownfield Skills Strategy is designed to increase the number of regeneration professionals and improve brownfield skills levels in support of Government aspirations to build 3 million new homes by 2020. At least 60% of the new homes will be built on redeveloped brownfield sites.
Key findings identified by the published research (Evidence Base) are that by 2012 there could be a minimum workforce shortfall of 75%, or 680,000 workers, engaged in brownfield development, including 300,000 engineers and developers and 140,000 surveyors.
Other findings in the Evidence Base include:
- Labour force projections identify a shortage of 34,000 people by 2012 in regeneration and economic development. Demand for regeneration officers can be attributed to their role as facilitators who drive projects and co-ordinate a wide range of technical activities.
- With 2,000 planning graduates entering the workforce each year, there may be a lack of practical experience. Focus will need to be placed on rapidly developing the new entrants' practical skills, particularly in new areas such as assessing multi-layered planning applications for new towns.
- The housing and welfare profession has multiple entry points. Entrants to the profession possess a variety of qualifications, ranging from NVQs to degrees, across a spectrum of subject areas, and employers are often willing to recruit staff without a background in housing or the relevant qualifications and train them on the job.
The research was based on a number of initiatives:
- Initial joint scoping work by English Partnerships and ASC.
- The subsequent publication of Brownfield Skills Strategy - unlocking the potential, enhancing brownfield regeneration skills.
- The wide-ranging response to the publication, which directed development of the draft Brownfield Skills Strategy.
