Lawton looks to bridge the skills gap

UK: Copper tube and fittings manufacturer Lawton Tubes is appealing to businesses to help bridge the growing skills gap between younger and older generations of traders.

It points to CITB’s Workforce Skills and Mobility in the Construction Sector report that estimates up to 19% of under-25s make up the UK’s construction workforce, yet other research shows that by 2035, over one-third of construction workers will have retired.

Lawton Tubes, which employs 140 people and is growing its customer-base beyond its traditional markets of plumbing, HVAC, and medical gas into fast-growing industries including data centres and renewable energy, wants to play its part in solving the problem with the launch of Lawton Next Gen.

The initiative will involve the roll-out of numerous short videos showcasing top installation tips for plumbers and air conditioning engineers, covering techniques from pipe prepping to bending, as well as how to connect pipes together using multiple techniques.

The initiative will also see Lawton Tubes attending various school careers fairs around the country, alongside forging partnerships with other industry organisations to promote trade careers.

Lawton Next Gen has also been installed as the lead sponsor of InstallerFutures, the dedicated student and apprenticeship programme of the InstallerSHOW in June.

“Youth unemployment is at its worst for a decade. Those aged 16 to 24 are our future, and so this presents a golden opportunity for tradespeople and organisations to step up and engage with these people to help narrow that gap between those entering and retiring from a trade,” explained Lawton Tubes director Robert Lawton.

“I believe young people are given an unfair deal by being perceived in some quarters as disengaged or work-shy, and so Lawton Next Gen is about going out to where the young people are at – both on social media and directly within schools itself – to showcase hands-on insights into the trades.

“Being a plumber, heating or air conditioning engineer are some of the few careers that are AI-proof for a start, and also have strong earning potential, coupled with the opportunity to be your own boss by starting your own business.

“We know trades are facing various barriers to growth and time is money, which is more important than ever, but so is safeguarding the future of key trades.

“We can’t do it on our own though, and that is why we are appealing for other tradespeople and organisations to join our cause, either by collaborating with us on content or by partnering with us at college and school visits.

“Even if Lawton Next Gen inspires others to explore their own ways of working with young people, then we have done our job.

“What’s important is that as an industry, we need to be collectively making efforts to get in front of young people to provide insights into a trade career.”

For more information about Lawton Next Gen, and to get involved, email marketing@lawtontubes.co.uk.