The inaugural meeting of the new Skilled Trades Network has been hailed as a significant success, marking the beginning of a concerted effort to bring about tangible change within the skilled trades industry. The pioneering event, held recently at South Lanarkshire College in East Kilbride, gathered a diverse group of stakeholders, including tradespeople, representatives from local authorities, educators, and industry experts.

Key discussions during the meeting encompassed vital issues such as facilitating access to funding for the sector and tackling the pressing skills shortage that currently poses a threat to its future viability. A major focus was also placed on strategies for engaging the young workforce, addressing the various barriers employers face in this critical area.

The initiative was conceived and developed by Pamela Cunningham, a former Tier 1 procurement manager who recently founded the strategic construction consultancy Growth & Performance Solutions, alongside her husband, Ross Cunningham, owner of ROSSCO Tiling Specialists. Pamela expressed her gratitude, stating, “We would like to thank everyone who came along and especially South Lanarkshire College, who couldn’t do enough to make the event go as smoothly as possible.”

Highlighting the collaborative spirit of the network, Pamela emphasized, “I want this to be about collaboration and not competition and it was refreshing to hear businesses openly discussing working together. Hopefully we can continue to foster these kind of connections.” She also touched upon the challenges of youth engagement, adding, “There is a huge focus on engaging with the young workforce but the big question is how do we do that as there are lots of barriers for employers to overcome. We touched on that as well and I’m optimistic we can be more effective on that front in time.”

Alan Tait from Tait HR served as the keynote speaker for the launch night, sharing insights with the attendees. South Lanarkshire College will continue to host these monthly meetings until February as part of an initial pilot scheme. Looking ahead, Pamela expressed excitement about the network's potential, noting, “We’re excited about what this can lead to. There was great energy in the room and we want to build on this success as we go forward and help more tradespeople connect with each other.” The next gathering of the Skilled Trades Network is scheduled to take place at South Lanarkshire College on Tuesday, October 28.