Members Identify Management Skills Needs

British Woodworking Federation (BWF) members have identified their most sought after management and supervisory skills in new research from Sector Skills Council and Industry Training Board, CITB-ConstructionSkills.

In the Management and Supervisory Skills (M&SS) report, conducted among 104 employers in the woodworking sector, maximising the productivity of staff  (36%), winning new business and general selling skills (29%) and keeping up with Health and Safety legislation (29%) were picked out as areas where gaps exist.

Across the industry, views are consistent with those of BWF members, with skills such as understanding the implications of green issues (43%) and not having sufficient IT skills (43%) being picked out by many firms.

In addition, a third (32%) of employers said that keeping up to date with the latest innovations, products and techniques was an important concern for their business. A further 32% also stated that their management team’s ability to identify the training needs of staff was an area that needed improvement.

Interestingly, the M&SS research, which was jointly published by CITB-ConstructionSkills and IFF Research, highlights how green and low carbon issues are becoming increasingly important for employers in the construction industry. Since 2007, 16% more employers see the importance of delivering sustainable practices.

Responding to these figures, CITB-ConstructionSkills has renewed its commitment to implement measures that help to deliver the right skills for economic growth locally and nationally. These initiatives include campaigns such as Cut the Carbon, which helps educate SMEs on green skills, and the Management and Supervisory Development Programme, which awards funding to industry federations to help senior staff improve their leadership abilities.

Mark Farrar, Chief Executive of CITB-ConstructionSkills, said:

“The results of the M&SS research clearly show that BWF members are aware of the challenges currently facing them and the wider industry. The sector is still going through testing times, and management and supervisory skills will be crucial to helping businesses to prepare for the upturn from 2013.

“Through the M&SS research, CITB-ConstructionSkills is listening to the views of employers and will use the data to help shape the solutions that we currently offer to the industry, such as M&SDP funding. We are committed to helping the industry overcome any skills gaps, and to ensuring that our managers and leaders are among the best in the country.”

The M&SS research follows the launch of CITB-ConstructionSkills’ £10m Growth Fund, which is now open to applications from businesses seeking to develop skills in the areas of sustainability, collaborative working and productivity.