The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and Homes for Scotland (HFS) have launched a new £250,000 scheme to train non-trade employees.

With the number of homes being built in Scotland still 40 per cent down on pre-recession levels, skill shortages are a major barrier to a much-needed increase in supply.

However, the issue affects much more than just traditional trades with expertise needed across all areas involved in the production of new homes such as surveying, management and sales and marketing.

The Homes for Scotland Professional Skills Fund will run from November 2016 to December 2017. Its aim is to ensure that non-trade staff get the necessary training to ensure the industry can deliver the tens of thousands of homes Scotland requires.

The fund will help CITB levy-paying members of HFS to target training for employees, graduate trainees and those on undergraduate placements to ensure that best practice is applied and the highest standards upheld.

Michael Lennox, strategic partnerships manager at CITB Scotland, said: “Scottish housebuilders told us that more needs to be done to address the range of skills challenges in the sector. Working with HFS, this investment is a step towards addressing that important issue and will boost technical and professional skills to ensure that we can build the homes that Scotland needs.”

Nicola Barclay, Homes for Scotland chief executive, added: “Ensuring we have enough homes for our growing population is absolutely fundamental not only to our country’s social wellbeing but also its economic success. With every home built supporting four jobs, the employment potential is huge, so HFS is delighted to be partnering with the CITB to ensure all those working in our industry have training opportunities available to them.”