KEIGHLEY has a proud history of being a centre for skilled trades and is well positioned, through initiatives like the Manufacturing, Engineering and Future Technologies Hub we will open later this year, to build on that reputation.

But exciting schemes like this, vital as they are, and all the theoretical knowledge we can communicate in the classroom are only half the story. While there’s no doubt that advances in AI and immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) have improved our ability to teach practical subjects, students also need to hear from, and see, actual humans who have ‘walked the walk’ and can share their lived experience.

West Yorkshire is currently suffering due to a scarcity of these kinds of teachers who have a wealth of industry expertise just waiting to be passed on. That, in turn, is hampering the work our college and other education and training providers are doing, not least through apprenticeships, to address the skills gaps that are holding our economy back.

Those gaps are real and, particularly in certain sectors, severe. The UK Trade Skills Index 2023 flagged up that the UK will need 937,000 new recruits in trades and construction, where vacancies are currently at record highs, over the next ten years. The report notes that “widespread shortages exist particularly among plumbers, bricklayers, carpenters and electricians”, and that the problem has been “exacerbated by an ageing workforce”.

That makes the effort we put into creating a pipeline of newly-skilled tradespeople to replace those who are retiring all the more important. Demand to study these subjects is actually high but our ability to train is being hindered because there aren’t enough teachers with the required industry experience.

This shortage could well lead to a decline in the number of apprentices entering these trades and, ultimately, translate into a shortage of qualified tradespeople. That would cause real damage to our communities and businesses, and see people having to wait longer for repairs while firms struggle to fill vacancies and get construction projects, for example, over the line.

The Government has been highlighting the skills gap within construction and supporting measures to tackle it through schemes like the Local Skills Improvement Plan. This is making a difference. And the £6.9m Local Skills Improvement Fund award we, along with other local education providers, recently secured means we’ll be investing in immersive technology to help the teaching of construction and bring it into the 21st century.

But our top priority has to be the recruitment of key further education staff, with suitable industry experience, to support and drive training. A collaborative approach involving closer working relationships with the sector is crucial to achieve this. We are proud to have already developed a strong partnership with the local engineering and manufacturing industry, and enjoy fruitful partnerships with firms like Ex-Pressed Steel Panels, Teconnex, Produmax, Byworth Boilers and Acorn Stairlifts. To solve this teaching crisis, we need to build on that while forging similar bonds with electrical and construction service businesses.

A major part of the challenge is to convince tradespeople that they actually have something to offer in the educational space. Many don’t necessarily see themselves as educators and, while wanting to help, perhaps feel they lack the expertise or confidence to teach – especially if they had negative experiences at school.

We, however, have a very simple message for them – it doesn’t matter to us what your O-levels or GCSEs were, we just need individuals who feel they can give something back, engage with young people and communicate the things they’ve learned from doing their everyday jobs. It’s about making it understandable to the young people who come to us and, in turn, our students have so much respect for those who have “walked the walk”.

These tradespeople and industry experts can share their experience through giving demonstrations or talks about, for example, the challenges of going self-employed, and providing informal feedback on students’ work. We can also help those who really catch the bug take their teaching further and qualify, for free, as teachers – but that’s not the most important thing. What’s important is getting them in front of our aspirational learners to inspire them because all of the experience they’ve acquired is so valuable. We would love to give them a chance in college, surrounded by supportive teams, to really make a difference.

The future of our town’s skilled trades tradition rests on the ability to recruit such skilled instructors, so the stakes are high. If we succeed, then the district can rely on a steady stream of qualified tradespeople coming through year-on-year, safeguarding its essential services – while failure would leave us at risk of losing a vital part of our identity and economy.

The time to act is now and here at college we’ll be doing just that on Tuesday, May 14, when we’ll be inviting electricians and plumbers to pop in, see what we do, and find out about getting involved in the wonderfully rewarding world of teaching.

Kevin O’Hare, principal, and Greg Bourke, head of construction and building services, Keighley College

* Email your letters to alistair.shand@keighleynews.co.uk