NFB's Mark Wakeford urges closer employer-college links at Hertfordshire skills summit

National Federation of Builders (NFB) board member Mark Wakeford has called for closer links between construction employers and colleges in a keynote speech to the Hertfordshire Property & Construction Summit at Oaklands College in St Albans.

The NFB said the summit formed part of work on Hertfordshire's Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) and brought property and construction businesses together with education and training providers to discuss the sector's workforce needs.

Wakeford drew on more than 20 years running a regional construction group and nearly a decade as a college governor, according to the federation. He told the audience that employers need confidence in future work before they will invest in recruitment and training, and urged colleges to recognise the commercial pressures on smaller firms and make support easier to access.

"A good corporate risk register should have your approach to skills and competence within it, remembering that skills take time to acquire and to embed in your culture, so some forward planning is essential," Wakeford said in his address.

Retrofit, AI and the existing workforce

The NFB said the speech covered how artificial intelligence (AI), decarbonisation and demand for retrofit are changing the skills businesses need. Wakeford argued that existing construction trades provide a strong foundation, with further training helping experienced workers adapt to new materials, technologies and customer expectations.

He called for more attention to developing people already working in the industry, suggesting carbon literacy and the effective use of AI as practical starting points. Business owners and directors need training too, he said, particularly in leadership, workforce planning and managing risk.

Wakeford also encouraged education providers to focus on long-term careers and continuing competence, with support extending beyond a person's first qualification.

The Hertfordshire plan

LSIPs are an employer-led Department for Education (DfE) initiative in England. According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the DfE has designated 38 Employer Representative Bodies across England to develop three-year plans for their areas.

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce said it was chosen by the DfE to lead the Hertfordshire LSIP. The Chamber lists Property & Construction and Sustainability among the plan's 10 priority sectors.

According to a notice published by Watford Borough Council, half a million homes in the county require retrofit measures to improve their EPC standards. The notice said Hertfordshire LEP had secured funding to produce a Regional Retrofit Skills Plan for Hertfordshire by December 2023.

The venue

Oaklands College, where the summit was held, has a Construction Centre with specialist workshops for plumbing, electrical and renewable energy installation. The college said the facility was delivered with RG Carter Construction, Fusion Project Management and DLA Architecture.

Oaklands describes itself as one of only six colleges in the country chosen to partner with CITB and the Home Builders Federation. The college has also announced a CSCS centre at its St Albans campus, which it said will provide access to the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test.