Thursday 21 November 2013

10,000 Construction Jobs On The Line


More than 10,000 UK building and insulation jobs could be lost if the government cuts so-called green levies on energy bills, a campaign group has warned.

The UK Green Building Council has claimed that construction firms installing energy efficiency measures through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and manufacturers that make products such as solid wall insulation fear more than 10,000 jobs could be lost if ECO is scrapped or scaled back.
They expressed caution after prime minister David Cameron signalled his desire to roll back green levies following the public debate on the cost they add to household energy bills.
The chancellor George Osborne was expected to announce an easing of the taxes which were designed to encourage investment in and production of sustainable energy and efficiency while penalising dirty fossil fuels.
But Paul King, chief executive of the UK Green Building Council, said the government's proposal could lose thousands of jobs.
"The prime minister needs to realise that going after ECO in a bid to cut household energy bills could end up costing 10,000 construction and insulation jobs," said King.
"That will decimate the very industry that is helping people - including some of the most vulnerable in society - reduce their bills in the long-term."
The Association of the Conservation of Energy estimated that up to 33,000 people are employed delivering ECO and the Green Deal.
This should have risen to 60,000 jobs in 2015, according to government's own projections.
Rob Lambe, managing director of Willmott Dixon Energy Services, added: "We have invested heavily in establishing a business to respond to the projected market opportunities of energy efficiency under ECO.
"Over the next year we anticipated employing more than 400 tradesmen installing insulation to solid walled properties.
"But if ECO funding is cut, this work will simply come to a grinding halt and these jobs will be lost, with thousands more at risk in the wider industry."
The government is expected to announce its intentions in the autumn statement in December.

Tuesday 19 November 2013

CSCS Set to Change Entry Level Standards in 2014

Following consultation with the industry, the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is introducing two significant changes related to academic qualifications and the green card.

From 30 September 2013, CSCS will recognise a range of construction-related academic qualifications in addition to vocational qualifications including:

•             Degrees
•             HNC and HND
•             NEBOSH Construction Certificates and National Diplomas
•             CIOB Certificates.

Applicants holding these academic qualifications who pass the Managers and Professionals Health, Safety and Environment Test will be issued with an Academically Qualified Person (AQP) card, which will be valid for five years and will be non-renewable. Holders of the AQP card will be expected to work towards membership of a recognised professional body or a relevant vocational qualification and then apply for the appropriate card when their AQP card expires.

In July 2014, CSCS is planning to re-launch the green card as the Labourer’s card following a pilot exercise. Anyone applying for the new entry level green card will be required to achieve the level one vocational qualification, Health and Safety in a Construction Environment, and pass the Health, Safety and Environment Test, demonstrating their knowledge of the key issues affecting safe working practices on UK construction sites. The Labourer’s card will replace the existing Construction Site Operative card and green cards will no longer be issued to operatives working in other occupations.

NSCC Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol MBE welcomed the changes:

“The new AQP and Labourer’s cards will help the industry towards its target of a competent workforce with operatives holding the right cards for the jobs they are doing on site. The green card has traditionally been used as an easy way of gaining access to site and the new requirements should prevent operatives from obtaining it when there is a more appropriate card.”

Further information about CSCS and how to obtain the right cards for the workforce can be found on the CSCS website.

(Sourced from NSCC-newsline)