BOB ATTENDS FIRST PARLIAMENTARY MEETING FOR TRADESPEOPLE

Our CEO, Gavin Crane, explains why attending the inaugural meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Tradespeople was such an honour for Band of Builders.

Sitting in a committee room in the Houses of Parliament with seven MPs, a Lord and a policy advisor from the Prime Minister’s Office discussing issues affecting UK tradespeople was a real pinch-me moment. It wasn’t just because of being in historic surroundings – it was that our charity was there at the inception of something that could deliver tangible, positive change to support UK tradespeople.

For too long, the trades have been overlooked in policy discussions, despite the fact they quite literally build and maintain the homes, schools, hospitals and infrastructure we all rely on. Having parliamentarians, industry leaders and organisations from across the sector in the same room, focused on finding solutions rather than simply talking about problems, was incredibly encouraging.

One thing that really stood out was the genuine interest in the room. Many MPs spoke about family members, friends and constituents who work in the trades. There is a real desire to improve opportunities for those considering a career in construction while also making life better for the hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople already working in our industry.

Of course, there are still significant challenges. The skills pipeline needs strengthening, SMEs need more support to take on apprentices, and we must do more to remove the barriers that prevent people entering, and staying in, our industry. The Chair of the meeting, Amanda Martin MP, has been very vocal in her support on the issue of tool theft, which has blighted the lives of tens of thousands of tradespeople.

At Band of Builders, we see those barriers every day. We support tradespeople when life takes an unexpected turn, giving us a unique perspective on the pressures facing our workforce. It was an honour to be able to bring those experiences into the discussion and help ensure the voices of the construction community were represented.

Thank you to Checkatrade

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our partners at Checkatrade for the invitation and for giving Band of Builders a seat at the table.

Working closely with Amanda Martin MP, the company has been a driving force behind the APPG for Tradespeople, which will represent the interests of the 900,000 people working in trades across the UK and raise the issues affecting them with policymakers. And more than 30 MPs and Members of the House of Lords have joined the group.

Ahead of the APPG meeting, Checkatrade shared research that found that becoming a plumber, electrician or carpenter is seeing a surge in interest across the country. Nearly four in ten (37%) people are now considering switching careers, and of those, over half (54%) are interested in retraining to join the trade industry. With the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing that the UK’s unemployment rate has increased at the same time as the number of job vacancies has fallen to its lowest level in five years, three-quarters (75%) of the public believe that a job in the trades is a respected career path with long-term job security.

Jambu Palaniappan, Chief Executive at Checkatrade, said: “The UK’s 900,000 tradespeople are an essential part of society, and interest in joining the trades has never been higher. Being a plumber, a carpenter or an electrician has gone from being a last resort to a first-choice career, but too many barriers are thrown up in front of trade businesses every day. MPs across Parliament are going to put trades front and centre and make sure this industry gets the respect and the hearing it deserves.”

There was genuine interest at the APPG meeting, and another one is scheduled. This is great news, as real change starts with conversations like these – but it only happens when those conversations lead to action.

Picture L-R; Gavin Crane and Amanda Martin MP