Market Report Trade


Completion Rate 24/25


Electrical 38%


Completion Rate 23/24


53%


Completion Rate 22/23


90%


Completion Rate 21/22


51%


“By partnering with local colleges, addressing misconceptions about trade roles and providing flexible on-site learning, businesses can gradually fill the positions needed to meet the ambitious housebuilding targets.”


Ryan Paterson, managing director at Dart Tool Group, said: “The findings from our ‘Apprenticeship Gap Report’ have demonstrated that, with a stronger, more effective apprenticeship system and active encouragement and promotion of trade industry jobs, the risk of a widening skills gap can be reduced.


“The UK’s electrical sector is facing some of the toughest shortages in recent years, with our data finding a deficit of 227:1. By partnering with local


colleges, addressing misconceptions about trade roles and providing flexible on-site learning, businesses can gradually fill the positions needed to meet the ambitious housebuilding targets.


“Bridging the labour market gap demands smarter workforce planning, better training frameworks and professional-grade site tools that enable apprentices to complete their programmes, master technical skills and build a stronger and more confident workforce without delaying projects further.”


Methodology


Using the Department for Education’s official statistics for 2021/2022 to 2024/2025, DART Tool Group examined apprenticeship starts, enrolments and achievements across Construction, Planning and the Built Environment and Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies sectors.


Live apprenticeship openings were captured from official government portals across regions, analysing a total of 809 apprenticeship roles. Job vacancy data was sourced from Reed and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to calculate demand across each sector, highlighting the number of roles currently unfilled and regional variations in labour shortages.


Product News


DoorBird D11x Series now integrated with Crestron Home


L


eading innovator in IP video door communication DoorBird has announced that its D11x series


intercoms are now integrated with premier smart home platform Crestron Home. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in smart home interoperability, offering homeowners and integrators a powerful, unified solution for secure and intelligent entry management.


Developed in partnership with Crestron, this new functionality enables native compatibility with DoorBird D11x and D18x series products to Crestron Home touch screens using Crestron’s RAVA protocol. The integration is hardware-free and allows users to control DoorBird IP video door stations directly from the Crestron Home interface.


Crestron Home is a sophisticated smart home platform developed by Crestron Electronics, designed to deliver intuitive control over lighting,


ewnews.co.uk


climate, audio, video and security. Known for its reliability, scalability and elegant user experience, Crestron Home empowers homeowners to personalise and automate their living environments with ease.


Key features of the integration include: Group calling using RAVA from DoorBird to Crestron touch panels.


Relay Control: Manage native and external relay functions for gates and doors. Event Triggers: Receive real-time notifications for doorbell rings, RFID scans (D18 only), motion detection, and fingerprint authentication. Express Configuration: Enable the “Crestron” switch in the DoorBird Connect section during set up and put your DoorBird in “Crestron mode” This integration empowers homeowners with enhanced security, convenience, and control, while offering integrators a streamlined setup process.


“This integration with DoorBird exemplifies our


commitment to delivering seamless smart home experiences. By combining Crestron Home’s intuitive control with DoorBird’s advanced IP video door stations, we’re empowering homeowners with smarter, more secure, and more connected living environments,” said Georgio Galaris, manager of residential marketing.


www.doorbird.com


February 2026 electrical wholesaler | 25


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