Labour’s skills shortage plan a ‘crucial step’

Greg Johnson, managing director of G-Award Fabricator of the Year Warwick North West, has welcomed the government’s announcement of 120,000 new training opportunities and 30,000 new trade apprenticeships as a crucial step toward addressing the construction industry’s persistent skills shortage.

The Liverpool-based window and door manufacturer is said to have pioneered its own innovative approaches to workforce development under Greg’s leadership, and he sees the £3 billion apprenticeship investment as validation of strategies he has already implemented.

Greg commented: “The government’s commitment to creating 30,000 new apprenticeships over the next four years is exactly what our industry needs. At Warwick North West, we’ve used apprenticeships to create pathways for young people into our business and the industry, lowering our average age and finding talented people who we might have missed without giving them a chance to learn while working. Our partnership with Hugh Baird College has been massive for us in developing this pipeline of talent.”

Greg, who began his own career on Warwick’s factory floor before working his way to the top, has been a vocal advocate for creating alternative pathways into the fenestration industry. Under his leadership, Warwick North West has established partnerships with organisations like Nobody Left Behind and Inside Connections to create opportunities for young people and those who might otherwise be overlooked.

“We’ve discovered that looking beyond traditional recruitment channels addresses the skills shortage and brings fresh perspective and talent into our business,” Greg explained. “Our partnerships with these organisations have helped us find so many skilled, motivated, and loyal individuals. Our staff retention is over 90%, and I credit finding young people and integrating them into the business as a big part of that.”

The announcement by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson also includes a 32% increase in the Immigration Skills Charge to fund up to 45,000 additional training places, alongside refocusing funding toward lower-level apprenticeships.

“The industry faces a massive challenge in delivering the home-building targets the government has laid out,” Greg noted. “With one in eight 16–24-year-olds currently not in education, employment or training, these apprenticeship opportunities can transform lives, something we’re passionate about, while building the workforce we desperately need.”

Greg believes the shift away from higher-level apprenticeships to focus on lower-level training is the right approach for addressing immediate industry needs.

“While higher-level qualifications are valuable, our sector urgently requires skilled workers who can hit the ground running with practical, hands-on abilities. The government’s rebalancing of apprenticeship funding mirrors what we’ve found works in our own business,” he added.

Greg believes that other businesses should embrace the government’s apprenticeship drive and create employment opportunities for young people.

“The skills shortage won’t be solved by the government alone, and it isn’t clear exactly how many of these apprenticeships will affect fenestration and construction. That’s why business leaders need to step up and create their own pathways and opportunities to show young people that our industry offers rewarding, well-paid careers with real progression,” he concluded.