Building standards - workforce data collection: analysis report 2021

1.0 Introduction

1.1. The annual workforce data collection was first introduced in 2019. The aim is to gain a national picture about the level of supply and demand for the building standards verification service and how this is resourced by local authority verifiers.

1.2. The data is collected at a point in time, on 31 July each year. This provides a national approach to measure and track changes in staffing levels and competence of the workforce over time.

1.3. This is the third year of the data collection. All 32 verifiers have submitted their 2021 data. The 2021 data has been baselined against the 2019 and 2020 data. For the first time, a three-year trend analysis is provided to show how the profession is evolving and where further action is required to deliver positive change. The analysis and the findings are given in this report.

1.4. The report provides a national-level view of the challenges facing the building standards profession in relation to resourcing, development of competencies and levels of turnover.

1.5. This analysis report highlights evidence of change and points to how the workforce strategy is supporting development of the profession. The 2021 data is used to indicate where actions are on track and also where the desired outcomes are still to be achieved. Benefits from the workforce strategy will be achieved during the delivery phase and are expected to accrue for some time thereafter.