Building standards verification service - workforce strategy: closure report

Executive Summary

The Workforce Strategy for the Building Standards Verification Service was published on 1 October 2020 and contained 43 actions across five core projects for delivery over a three year period.

The aim of the strategy was to create a first-class and sustainable verification service for the future. The strategy was Scottish Government’s response to the issues originally identified by the Compliance and Enforcement Review Panel in 2018, chaired by Professor John Cole. The panel identified the need to strengthen skills, training and competence of verifiers and the subsequent public consultation on Compliance and Fire Safety in 2018 confirmed these issues should be addressed.

A partnership approach to delivery of the strategy was established between Scottish Government’s Building Standards Division (BSD) and Local Authority Building Standards Scotland (LABSS). This report provides information on what has been achieved and how the combined efforts of all partners have delivered benefits for everyone working in the building standards profession.

This was the first workforce strategy for verifiers and the purpose was to develop the competency of the workforce, define the building standards profession and raise awareness of job roles with an aim to reach a wider audience to improve recruitment into the profession.

A key driver for change was the aging demographic which indicated the profession would be reduced by around 20% over a five to ten year period. Strategy actions were designed to mitigate this loss of expertise by supporting individuals to address their skill gaps and by balancing the age profile through the introduction of apprentices into the workforce.

The workforce strategy aimed to improve the competence of the workforce and ensure individuals are capable of meeting evolving challenges and high customer expectations for a reliable public service. Actions have provided a mechanism to manage competency on a profession-wide basis and new learning opportunities have been developed. The building standards profession is more open and visible than before and succession planning for the future is supported by the introduction of apprentices into the workforce.

The development of a training platform for access to up-skilling modules and the expansion of accredited courses with building standards content has ensured that learning needs will be met more easily in the future. Linkages with colleges and universities has enabled experienced surveyors to deliver building standards learning to students working towards their degree and this direct relationship has improved the recruitment of graduates into the profession.

The national and local commitments to change ensured that all partners had a role in delivery of the strategy. Completion of the actions set out across five projects has provided a firm foundation for future work to ensure the profession is resilient and individuals can gain the skills and knowledge to progress their career in a building standards role.

Although this report marks the closure of the strategy, work is continuing to embed the changes delivered and support the profession to meet future challenges and flourish in the long term.