Northumberland College and ORCA LGS Solutions have formed a training partnership that should help to reduce the vulnerability the construction industry has to skills shortages. ORCA LGS Solutions has developed a reputation for delivering innovative design, manufacturing and training services for the construction industry. The company is now looking to support the government and the plans that have been released to increase the housing supply across their region as well as across the UK. It is to support the Government mandate that the partnership has been formed between the construction solutions company and Northumberland College.
The Department for Communities and Local Government released a White Paper back in February covering the different ways in which the Government plan to improve the UK housing industry and the housing market. As part of this mandate, it was revealed that the UK would require one million new homes by 2021.
The Farmer Report has also been published in relation to this topic, and was commissioned by the Construction Leadership Council. The Report looks into the vulnerability of the housing industry and the challenges that are faced due to skills shortages. The commissioned report has also shown that the target that has been set by the Government to increase the number of houses being built cannot be met without the outputs of the industry being significantly increased. This means that more people are needed to operate in the industry, to increase the number of residential developments being carried out and completed in order to meet the Government’s increased housing supply level.
ORCA is planning on completing 10,000 units of affordable housing during the next five years through the use of offsite manufacturing that employs local labour and uses Light Gauge Steel structures. This building technique can result in a 50% faster rate of completing in building projects and could be a solution for the increased demand for housing going forward.
