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Putting in the groundwork to boost skills

Across the wide variety of strands that comprise the construction sector, there is a huge need to introduce new people and upskill those already in place.

It is commonly known there is a massive shortage of construction tradespeople to meet the Government's hugely ambitious new homes commitment.

Likewise, in the civil engineering sector, there is a critical need to address the current and predicted skills shortage in groundworkers/civil engineering operatives. 

The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) North East represents more than 80 members, ranging from SMEs to national and multi-international tier one contractors, and they a ll tell us of the challenges they face to introduce new people into the sector.

A groundworker prepares a construction site by performing essential early and late-stage tasks, including excavating for foundations, installing drainage and ducting, laying concrete slabs, kerbs and paths, and setting up the site with safety barriers, making it safe from start to finish.

Without sufficient numbers of them, civil engineering projects simply cannot get off the ground.

At the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) North East, we are helping to put very practical steps in place to address the issue through a series of Groundworker Skills Bootcamp in Construction events, which will run throughout 2026.

We are working with the North East Institute of Technology, Tees Valley Combined Authority and several colleges to address the current and predicted skills shortage in groundworker/civil engineering operatives.

The Groundworker Skills Bootcamp in Construction series is designed to help employers upskill existing staff in key industry competencies. 

These flexible, high-quality programmes provide practical, job-focused training aligned with current sector needs.

The first bootcamp has already taken place, with a further two planned this month in collaboration with Seymour Skills Academy and Hartlepool College of Further Education. 

There is time for employers to get involved. 

Candidates must be 19 or over on August 31, 2025 to qualify for funding, and all training is delivered at a specialist location in Hartlepool.

The employer or the learner must have a Tees Valley postcode.

An employer is permitted to upskill employees that live outside the Tees Valley area.

For further information or to reserve places, contact Sam-Amy.Hall@hartlepoolfe.ac.uk or call on 01429 857199.

Stuart Miller is director of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (North East)

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