A free app backed by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is set to upskill subcontractors working in the UK’s construction industry and address the skills gap within the industry.
Experts from Nottingham Trent University and Morgan Sindall Construction came together to create the Construction Upskill app, which enables construction workers to develop their skills 'on the go' with byte-sized training modules.
It aims to improve efficiencies collaboration and productivity within the sector, as well as accessibility, by removing barriers to training such as time constraints and a lack of access to computers.
Both of these are challenges fed back from sector participants on the IDP programme.
Emmanuel Manu, associate professor of the School of Architecture Design and the Built Environment for Nottingham Trent University, which is behind the IDP and Construction Upskill, said the school was proud to deliver an app which will make a real positive difference for construction workers and tackle the issue of the skills gap, "which continues to threaten the construction industry".
“We are moving away from the belief that knowledge and ideas ‘trickle down’ from those in senior positions and instead offering an opportunity for everyone on site to realise the importance of all ideas being valuable to help increase efficiencies,” said Mr Manu.
“This will strengthen the working relationships between all parties, enabling the development of better on-site processes and business solutions for improved productivity and profitability, helping to encourage innovation to solve on-site and business challenges.
“The app will equip those users with a tool which can be easily accessed and has been specifically designed to tackle some of those barriers and challenges such as lack of resources and workers can invest their time at their own pace without any pressure.
“The app itself is an example of what can be achieved through collaboration, and we are extremely grateful to Morgan Sindall Construction and its supply chain contractors’ for supporting the development.”
The Construction Upskill app has been created as an alternative method of accessing existing training modules already created by IDP which are available online on the Supply Chain Sustainability School portal.
It has been developed with the University’s delivery partners to complement existing training such as the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) app on health and safety.
The online modules are 20-minutes long and have formal CPD accreditation.
The IDP team is now encouraging those from all levels and areas of the construction industry to download the free-to-use app and complete four short training modules.
It is co-designed with sector experts to provide insights into collaboration and innovation and how these can be used in the workplace to improve productivity.
Modules include working in an environment where behaviours are supportive of collaboration, identifying and resolving issues that can slow down site progress, collaborating to ensure early access to accurate drawings and other design information and recognising areas of innovation that can add value.
The launch of the app follows a recent IDP initiative to create 40 innovation champions to solve problems within their business relating to productivity.