CITB-ConstructionSkills publishes latest research

The Employer Attitudes and Motivations to Learning and Training survey, conducted by the Industry Training Board and Sector Skills Council for construction, asked more than 1,500 construction employers how the economic downturn impacted on their training provision last year.

The results show that job-specific training was hardest hit, with 16 per cent of all employers cutting back.

Health and Safety is also shown to be a subject area that has been impacted, with 8 per cent of employers reducing their training support in this remit.

Management and supervisory training suffered, with a reduction in this area made by 2 per cent of employers.

Despite the figures, research does reveal that industry employers' commitment to offer training has not waned and they recognise it is crucial to post-recession recovery.

In fact, 24 per cent of construction businesses believe that improving staff skills and competencies is even more important in the post-recession environment.

The results of the Employer Attitudes and Motivations to Learning and Training survey have been issued ahead of the ConstructionSkills Network (CSN) - an in-depth report of the future skills and training requirements of the UK construction industry that also provides a consensus view of the current and future skills training needs.