Dr. Peter Rigney:

Traditionally, there was a range of jobs in building. There were not enough but there was a range of jobs. For example, there was the old general foreman of the site, who always tended to be a carpenter. Bricklayers come in at a certain stage and painters at another stage but carpenters are always around so tended to know the game. There were clerks of works. They have almost disappeared as a body. One thing that apprenticeships allow, although it has not been fully developed, is the provision for the development of lifelong learning. I do not want to give employers a bad reputation because many want to do the right thing for their workforce. Employers often say that the people in their 20s are of limited use to them. Maybe they should ask if there is something they can do for people in their 40s with a block release and upskilling course because they know the industry. In a previous role in the organisation, when we were running a health and safety training course, I was collecting the fees in September. I went to the Red Cow Luas construction site and took a wad of money from a dumper driver who said it was a young man's game and he wanted to get into health and safety. That says it all to me. If we want to build careers in construction as opposed to jobs, that is the way forward. That middle bit of the pyramid seems to have been hollowed out, such as the clerk of works and the general foreman. Maybe it is a result of the change to subcontracting. I do not know but we certainly have to look at it.