Skillnet Ireland has strengthened its range of upskilling and business supports in the critically important modern methods of construction (MMC) area with the launch of the new Skillnet MMC Accelerate initiative. A collaboration between Skillnet Ireland and industry body the Construction IT Alliance (CITA), Skillnet MMC Accelerate will provide businesses with upskilling resources to accelerate the adoption of MMC in their day-to-day operations.
Modern methods of construction is a very broad term, says Skillnet Ireland strategic planning consultant Liz Thomas. “It encompasses a range of different types of construction methodologies that improve productivity and reduce time, cost and waste on projects. Most people think of it as modular construction, but it’s so much more. It does of course include that with three dimensional elements and 2D panels produced in factories and ready to install and assemble on site. It also covers pre-manufactured structured elements like precast concrete and timber products as well as additive manufacturing.”
Other aspects include digital twinning and the use of robotics and drones on construction sites.
“The digital shift has been happening for a long time but it is accelerating now, and we need to increase the understanding of MMC across the industry and beyond,” Thomas adds. “It has a crucial role to play in the delivery of the National Development Plan and the Housing for All programme. It can help meet housing targets by enabling the delivery of compliant, quality, affordable housing by saving on time and labour. Also the quality of homes built using elements produced in factories is arguably better. Sustainability is improved as well. We should be able to have homes with zero energy bills in future.”
And there are other benefits. “It can do a lot to meet current labour force challenges. It will offer more options for people to work in the industry. They will be able to work indoors in a factory environment and not be out in all weathers. That can make a big difference to gender balance in the industry. In one employer that we know of in the pod manufacturing area all the tilers are female.”
It can also help to overcome other barriers to people choosing construction careers. “These decisions tend to be made while people are still in secondary school,” says Thomas. “Parental influence plays a big part in those decisions and many of them still have thoughts of the 2008 crash in their minds. MMC can be an export industry and that makes it very secure.”
In July the Government’s Expert Group on Future Skills Needs published a report on the skills needed to support the transition to MMC in the coming decade. “The report included 28 recommendations across a number of key areas including training provision,” says Thomas. “It highlighted the need to address the knowledge gap among senior managers. There is a need to get them on board for the use of MMC in future. In addition, it pointed to the need for MMC adoption at the front end. If we don’t have architects designing for it MMC won’t exist.”
Skillnet MMC Accelerate is aimed at addressing that knowledge gap and promoting MMC across the entire construction value chain. The platform showcases the MMC industry, highlights upcoming projects and investment in MMC, outlines future MMC career pathways, signposts upskilling and training opportunities, and provides links to the Government, academic and industry supports available.
“It starts with the why,” says Thomas. “The platform highlights the fact that construction is changing and that MMC is a cool area to get into. It includes information on the careers available and what they look like, explains the knowledge and skills required for them, and points to the ecosystem of training available – all under one roof.
“We understand that it can be difficult for businesses to release people for training. There is a cost element for that. Work is not being done while they’re absent. The construction industry is made up of lots of small businesses and that can be challenging for them. The platform also showcases the supports available to those businesses.”
Skillnet MMC Accelerate is just one element of Skillnet Ireland’s offering to the construction industry. “We have three dedicated Skillnet business networks for the industry,” says Thomas. “CitA [Skillnet], the Construction Professionals Skillnet and the Industry 4.0 Skillnet. They all deliver training in MMC-related topics. This is part of our commitment to developing talent across all sectors.
“Skillnet Ireland is now 25 years old. We started in 1999 with 10 Skillnet business networks and now have 70. We partner with 57 different industry and regional bodies and trained more than 97,700 workers and supported 26,600 businesses last year. A highly skilled workforce contributes to Ireland’s economic success and competitiveness. That’s what it’s all about.”