INDUSTRY UPDATE
BiKBBI – Investing in people will help to solve the skills gap crisis
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Drought situation a stark warning to take water efficiency seriously say UWLA
T
he heatwaves we experienced over the summer led to a drought alert being introduced across much of the UK,
with several water authorities introducing hosepipe bans and other measures to help save water. The headlines in the UK and across Europe about severe water
shortages impacting on agriculture and the amount of wild fires, serve as a stark reminder to the bathroom industry that the need to take the water efficiency message seriously, is now, before it is too late. Everyone now has a responsibility to take action to drive home the
water efficiency message. We have a huge issue in communicating the implications of not saving water, and encouraging people to change their behaviour and long held habits. As a nation we have so many bad habits when using water, it does not help that it is too cheap, and many do not realise that only 3% of the water in the globe is drinkable and only 1 % is accessible. Rising populations, increased use, and climate change are all putting
undue pressure on a supply that is limited, and things have to change. Those in the bathroom industry that are front line with consumers need
to take their responsibilities seriously and take on board the challenge of helping consumers understand the implications of water use, not just on the basis of conserving water but also on the cost of running their homes. With 15% of all carbon emissions generated from the domestic environment, water using bathroom products have a significant role to play. Increasing awareness of the Unified Water Label can make a real
difference. The Unified Water Label is used extensively by architects and specifiers but has not yet been embraced by installers or retailers, who could do so much more. We have the support of manufacturers who have driven forward
innovation to deliver bathroom products that use less water and energy, if we can promote these products to the consumer, they will then have the information they need to facilitate change. The Unified Water Label Association has made communication its key
priority, and is working towards encouraging everyone in the supply chain, to ensure more of these products are used in the home. With more support for the Unified Water Label, we can help
consumers understand the issues around water scarcity, the link with energy and carbon emissions, and collectively make a positive difference.” Those interested in finding out how they can become involved by
supporting the UWLA or joining our campaign can find out more by visiting the website.
uwww.uwla.eu 36 BKU SEPTEMBER 2022
BiKBBI CEO Damian Walters meets with KBB apprentice installer, Sienna of Redwood Kitchens.
t’s been a while since I wrote about the Skills Gap crisis - not because the problem is going away, it’s quite the opposite in
fact – but I recently came across a news article which partly attributed the shortage of youngsters wanting to get into the construction industry down to the fact that they don’t like getting out of bed for 7am. Now, being a parent of school-leaving age teenagers myself, I concur
that youngsters like their sleep but the same could have been said for me and my mates if I cast my mind back to my formative years – yet there wasn’t a skills shortage in the 80s and 90s. I have been quoted many times as saying ‘the KBB installer skills shortage
is everyone’s problem’ and I stand by that – manufacturers, retailers, distributors and suppliers all have their role to play, and BiKBBI is actively engaging with many businesses across the industry to collaborate on solutions. The most frequent question we get asked is ‘what can we do?’ and we have a list as long as my arm of suggestions on how the industry can help us to build the future KBB workforce. But having read the aforementioned article, I have added a new point to that list – be honest about where the challenges are and act accordingly. The attitude of today’s youth is not responsible for the lack of desire to
join our sector. Who can blame them for shying away from an industry that is suffering from decades of under investment and no clear career pathway. Let me be honest here, the UK construction industry is not known for its forward-thinking and progressive attitude, and young people have options and choices like no other generation before them. Afterall, we are not the only industry facing a skills gap crisis. And despite this, we have seen hundreds of youngsters register their interest in joining the industry since we launched the BiKBBI Skills Plus employer package in October 2021. Young people want to work in our sector. Fact. For every KBB installer
apprenticeship vacancy we create, we are seeing 30+ applicants on average. This is compared to an average of 5-6 applications for other construction sectors. What we need is for the whole industry to play its part in creating employment opportunities to support the demand we have generated. Rather than question the attitude of young people, now is the time to scrutinise our attitude towards apprenticeships. Offer a youngster an opportunity to earn a fair wage working within a
business that will value them and support them as they learn and grow, in an industry that values their skills and presents real opportunities for a lifelong, financially rewarding career – then I’m pretty sure that the question of what time they need to set their alarm clock for will never arise!
Damian Walters, CEO, BIKBBI
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