COMMENT AND OPINION | Letters Letters
Industry responds to BiKBBI’s letter to PM
Damian Walters, CEO of The British Institute of KBB Installation (BiKBBI), wrote to the PM voicing his concerns on the proposed immigration laws, including a points-based system that could exclude many skilled fi tters from the UK [
kbbreview.com, February 20 and news, pg 8]. Here are your reactions so far…
‘A narrow view’
THE GOVERNMENT has lowered the salary required for people to enter the country from £35,000 to £25,000, but this shouldn’t cause a problem for a skilled tradesman to be offered a job in Britain. The reason that there is a shortage of skills in the UK is that there has been little training over the years, and the market for jobs has been undermined by cheaper foreign labour. This is a problem created by short-term thinking. The comments from Damian Walters [
kbbreview.com, February 20] are disingenuous and put forward a narrow view of the problems we will face in the transition period after we leave the EU.
Hopefully, we will come out of this in a stronger position for the country overall.
Steve Marsden, senior sales specialist, Jewson ‘Didn’t think it through’ ‘So short-sighted’
I’M NOT so sure of everyone’s concerns. We have 10 full-time installers and while they are all training the next generation for us, I think this might possibly be the exception. I think it’s tough. The Government and British people should have realised they would need more tradesmen and educated the younger generations correctly. It’s about time we tried to encourage home-grown talent and explain to people the benefi ts of the job, instead of looking outside the UK for a cheaper alternative. I am not against what Damian Walters is saying. However, it’s not like we decided to come away from Europe six months ago. This sort of situation should have been foreseen.
They knew the doors would be closed, if they have the power. However, it’s political. I doubt anything will happen fast and I’m sure changes will be made. They shouldn’t have been so short-sighted regarding educating home-grown people.
IT’S ALMOST as though this wasn’t thought through, or possibly they simply don’t care. If the Government put a large amount of money into training and apprenticeships for people leaving school and joining the KBB industry, then the problem will resolve itself in a few years’ time, as those people become fully trained. Barry Collins, managing director, Schwartz Kitchens
The British people voted to leave and this is one of the consequences enforced by the PM.
Hopefully money and time will be put into
apprenticeships and education. This won’t have an immediate impact. However, it’s political and I doubt anything will happen fast. I’m sure changes will be made to ensure the UK’s best interests. Richard Hassell, director, More than Baths
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DAMIAN WALTERS RESPONDS… These are all very valid points, but until we reach a sustainable tipping point of skilled, home- grown tradespeople, then we’re facing a crisis. My letter wasn’t discouraging
the promotion of apprenticeships – you’ll fi nd it tough to fi nd others who work harder than we do on that subject. It’s just more that the Government needs to work with trade associations to better understand the challenge and the situation we currently face. A school leaver today entering
a fi tte d interiors apprenticeship is a minimum of fi ve years away from supporting the skills gap crisis – that’s assuming we have a national
network of training
providers, delivering the apprenticeship to hundreds of students… which, sadly, we don’t. Until that time, we must be sensible on our approach to immigration – not just to close the doors because we now have the power to do so.
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