National Retrofit Strategy needed to underpin CITB Skills Challenge, says FMB

Local builders must to be at the heart of meeting the skills and training needs set out in today’s CITB’s Building Skills for Net Zero report. This need would be best delivered by a new National Retrofit Strategy that brings together all the elements required to make our 28 million homes greener and more energy efficient, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “The building industry will need thousands of new entrants, and strong leadership from the Government if we are to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, as the CITB rightly sets out in its report Building Skills for Net Zero. The report refers to ‘clearer signals’ from Government but given the failure of previous green initiatives over the last decade there is an urgent need for the Government to take action ahead of COP26 and commit to a long-term energy efficiency retrofit strategy, that is backed by public investment, to provide confidence to both builders and householders. Only then will we create the demand for training and upskilling that is needed to bring in new entrants and unlock the workforce of the future.”

Berry concluded: “Small to medium-sized (SME) builders need to be at the heart of transforming our built environment if the net zero target is to achieved. I therefore welcome the CITB’s commitment to utilising the Skills and Training Fund, aimed at SMEs, to support upskilling. The FMB is calling on the CITB to lift the cap on the Skills and Training Fund so that grant is provided according to need, so that builders are not held back from investing in their people.”