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Business Argus

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Campaign to deliver skilled workers for construction

A study by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) shows that one in five Welsh construction firms struggles to grow their business due to a lack of suitably skilled workers and 10 per cent has had to recruit outside the sector to meet their skills needs. While 60 per cent of Welsh construction companies feel confident about the future of the Welsh construction industry, the picture across the whole of the UK shows 42 per cent of construction firms are struggling to recruit workers with the right skills, putting an estimated 62,000 jobs at risk as companies face difficulties expanding without a skilled workforce in place. In Wales, 5,266 jobs are potentially at risk unless construction firms can recruit the right skills into their business. In response to the findings, CITB has launched industrys Construction4Growth campaign in Wales, calling for employers to invest in skills training. The campaign will build on the partnership work that CITB Wales and the Welsh Government are already undertaking with successful projects such as the Skills Academies, Client-Based Approach and the Shared Apprenticeship Scheme as well as galvanising support from employers, clients, Careers Wales, FE Colleges and government to drive forward findings of the Estyn Review to ensure training is aligned to labour market needs. CITB Wales director Wyn Prichard said: Our report clearly shows that more needs to be done to address the issue of skills in the construction industry to ensure we have the capability to meet the emerging pipeline of infrastructure work in Wales. With 1.3 billion of infrastructure projects announced in the Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan, and yesterdays budget announcement concerning the creation of 11,000 new construction jobs in the next three years, we need to ensure the Welsh construction industry has the skills to meet the skilled labour demands of these projects. Now is the time to start sparking the imaginations of young people and harnessing their talent for the future of the industry . This is one of the reasons why we are launching the Construction4Growth campaign.

Six driven to aid charity in 24-hour car marathon

By Jo Barnes
01633 777240 jba@gwent-wales.co.uk Twitter @SWABusiness
NEWPORT car salesman Matt Nolan and five colleagues each got behind the wheel to complete a novel Top Gear style 24-hour charity marathon and then the six spent the night sleeping in their vehicle in the showroom. Top Gear fan Matt, who works for Wessex Garages, in Spytty, Newport, says he dreamed up the hair-brained scheme after a night watching his favourite TV show. Matt, driving a Hyundai emblazoned with a St Davids Hospice Care logo, said: It seemed like a good idea at the time and, in true Top Gear fashion, turned out to be so in the end. Myself and five colleagues, four males and two females from other Wessex dealerships in Cardiff, Gloucester and Bristol, spent 24 hours each in our cars to raise money for our respective charity of the year. The Newport showrooms charity is St Davids Hospice Care. I was driving a relatively roomy Hyundai 130 while the others were living in a Fiat 500, Fiat Punto Abarth, Nissan Micra, Nissan Note and Kia Picanto. It was tough going, but

Top Gear: Matt Nolan enjoys a pit stop and welcome cuppa at St Davids Hospice Care day centre, Malpas, Newport, during the 24hour challenge with Heather Davies, welfare rights ofcer (left) and Tania Ansell, both of St Davids Hospice Care well worth the effort. During the 24 hours the steadfast six visited each of the dealerships charity of the year, through Wales and the south West to help raise awareness of the organisations and also to donate a boot load of clothes to be sold in the charities shops. After delivering the clothes and driving throughout the region the six then all converged on Newport to spend the night in their cars in the new Wessex showroom at Spytty . Tania Ansell, of St Davids Hospice Care, said: We never fail to be amazed at the imaginative ways supporters devise to help raise money for our charity . Matts is a wonderful road trip idea and we very much appreciate what they are doing to help. For details on how to support the drive visit www.stdavidshospicecare.org or call Kris Broome on 01633 851058 or Matt Nolan on 01633 636126.

Ostler family expands their Budgen stores with Chepstow opening

BUDGENS retailer Marcus Ostler and his family have opened their second Budgens store in Monmouthshire in St Lawrence Road, Chepstow. The store is based on the former Racecourse Garage site. When Marcus father, Gordon Ostler, and his wife Valerie, opened their first retail outlet business in Shirenewton in 1965, they probably didnt expect that their son would take it on at the age of 18, and expand the business even further almost 50 years later. Local business man, Marcus, has employed 20 local people to service the store, which has an in-house bakery selling freshly filled baguettes, hot pies and pasties, freshly made bacon sandwiches, and hot coffee. All the usual magazines and papers, general groceries, and a wide selection of wines and beers, fresh fruit and vegetables are also available. For those who fancy trying their luck, the store also has a Lottery terminal. Mr Ostler, who runs another Budgens in Magor, said: Its an exciting time for my family and I we love Chepstow and believe we have a good understanding of the local area. Weve decided to partner with Budgens to be able to offer their SuperValu own brand range and ensure we can offer good prices with everyday products price matched to Tesco. Since we own and run the store it does mean we will be able to find out what local residents really want and need so that we ensure the store caters for their needs. Were keen to work with local people and to support local producers in the area too. The new store is 3,000 sqft and has parking directly outside the store a must-have on a commuter route. The stores opening hours are 7am-9pm, seven days a week.

OPEN DAY: The new Budgens store is open for business

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