Transcript Slide 1

European Builders Confederation
The Voice of Construction Crafts and SMEs in Europe
Attraction of youth to the
construction sector
The example of Under Construction III
Plenary Meeting of Sectoral Social Dialogue in Paper industry
Brussels, 12th October
12th October 2012
Riccardo Viaggi
Secretary General
European Builders Confederation
The Voice of Construction Crafts and SMEs in Europe
Established in 1990
 22 members & partners - 17 MS
 Exclusively SMEs and crafts
 2 millions construction crafts and SMEs
 Takes part in sectoral social dialogue
The EU Construction Sector
The Voice of Construction Crafts and SMEs in Europe
3 million enterprises
92% < 10 employees
80% of the turnover
67% of the employment
Under Construction III
2 goals to adress the
demographic challenge
 Find ways to keep
construction workers
longer in employment
and act in term of active
ageing
Attract young people to
the sector
1/2
Under Construction III
2/2
Support from DG Employment + Thrid project of a series since 2007
TOOLS
Theorical :
• High level conferences to gather
ideas through Europe
• Enhance Social Dialogue to
support enterprises of the
construction sector to attract young
workers
• Strong interaction and Exchange
of best practices between the
participants
Practical
•Participation in Wordskills Europe
idea of proximity and detail : for
training and Excellence of
apprentices
•Skills competition EuroSkills which is
about competences and exchange for
young workers
Lack of interest from the young :
Causes
 Physical difficulty of work
 Lack of career paths
 Poor quality Training
 lack of help and training from elder workers
 Lack of involvement of social partners in training (some MS)
 Poor image of the construction sector
 Lack of communication and information from sector
ECONOMIC CRISIS – little help from the government
Lack of interest : Consequences
 Ageing of workers

10% of employee between 25 and 29 in 2020 !!
 Raise of dependency ratio* (from 30% today to
52% in 2060)
 Job losses
 Impossibility for craftsmen to sell their business
Dangerous fall in productivity of the sector
Possible solutions / 1
 Promote the sector among young workers
 Mentoring to help young workers insert
 Cooperation with training operators and SP
 Better apprenticeship programmes
 Use European mobility as an additional attraction
Skills competition to develop Excellence
Example of EuroSkills
 Skills competition towards Excellence
 European Competition of young workers
 Because today’s apprentices are tomorrow’s
craftsmen and workers
 Brings great value to training schools, enterprises,
and young workers
 Factor of motivation and attraction for other young
people
 Develop mobility in the sector
Possible solutions / 2
 ENTREPRENEURSHIP
 Supporting Business transfer & business creation
 Remove financial and administrative barriers
 Social dialogue and role of paritarian institutions
 Improve working conditions and health awereness
Riccardo Viaggi
Secretary General EBC
[email protected]
www.eubuilders.org
The Voice of Construction Crafts and SMEs in Europe