Solving surface skills shortages

The government’s objective of building 1.5 million new homes by 2029 faces significant obstacles, with construction skills shortages foremost among these. George Emms, Specification Leader – UK & Ireland at Wilsonart, explores how new technologies can help alleviate current workforce challenges. 

The government’s ambitious plan to deliver 1.5 million new homes in England by 2029 presents a significant challenge for and specifiers. This can be seen in findings from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), which indicates that 30,000 recruits across 12 trades are required for every 10,000 new houses.  

This emphasises that not only does the number of workers in the construction industry need to increase dramatically, but the distribution of specialist skills across the sector needs to improve too. Yet the Home Builders Federation (HBF) has highlighted a critical issue that further hampers the achievability of this government target – the UK lacks a sufficient talent pipeline to develop and employ skilled professionals within the sector.  

Housing pledges and skills shortages  

Several factors have contributed to this current skills shortage. The existing workforce is ageing, with experienced workers retiring and insufficient numbers of young professionals entering the field. The end of free movement post-Brexit has further exacerbated the situation by limiting the influx of skilled workers from abroad. 

In specialist trades, including tiling, this has had a severe knock-on effect. The CITB says an additional 1,200 tilers are required to meet the government’s housing target. However, the lack of comprehensive training programmes has hindered the development of new talent. This highlights the urgent need for innovative strategies to address the skills shortage in this area while guaranteeing high-quality installations. 

Scratching below the surface 

Ceramic tiles have long endured as an option due to their waterproof nature, decorative appeal, and varied price points, adding up to a high-quality finish. But with tiler availability increasingly constricted onsite, building professionals must move beyond traditional specification practices to ensure installation work is carried out to tight deadlines. 

One promising solution is the development of engineered surface technologies that can be fitted by non-skilled personnel or joiners who are already on-site for other works. Misconceptions have previously made these less popular, but advances in engineered surface technologies are changing this, including options such as high-pressure laminate (HPL) surfaces with waterproof composite (WPC) cores. 

Wilsonart’s Wetwall brand, for instance, offers modern, cost-effective panels that mimic high-end bathroom materials such as marble, granite, engineered quartz and ceramics without the associated costs associated with these materials. For residential specifiers and contractors, these surfaces are quick to cut and install and remove the need for grout, taking four to five hours for a 100% waterproof fit on an average bathroom, compared to two days for tiles. Crucially, the completely waterproof system safeguards underlying walls from moisture damage, providing greater peace of mind for specifiers and contractors. 

Wilsonart’s Wetwall Elite range also features patented tongue-and-groove panels with trim-free edges, allowing for greater simplicity and an easy dry fitting before final installation. Following this, the application of an adhesive quickly fixes panels over various subwalls, followed by a colour-matched, anti-fungus sealant to achieve a watertight finish without specialist labour. 

Addressing the construction skills shortage is, without question, crucial to meeting the Government’s housing targets. Innovative surface technologies provide practical solutions that can enable quicker, high-quality installations by non-specialist personnel, ensuring projects stay on schedule. By embracing these new technologies, the construction industry can overcome current challenges and achieve its ambitious goals.  

It is therefore imperative that developers, specifiers, and contractors explore available options and expand existing component procurement strategies to include alternative options, including engineered surfaces. By working together with specialist third party suppliers, the construction industry can build a brighter future and meet the ambitious housing targets set by the Government. 

www.wilsonart.co.uk