Building firm Bovis Lend Lease UK is establishing a not-for-profit company to tackle construction skills shortages.

The new organisation Be Onsite aims to offer on-site industry specific training and employment and will pay particular attention to the skills gaps where no specific training currently exists.

Bovis Lend Lease head of Community Development and Be Onsite managing director Val Lowman said: “Small firms with fewer than 14 workers represent 94% of the construction industry and employ 39% of all workers. These firms need all the help they can get. We aim for Be Onsite to eventually grow so that it can offer trainees to the construction industry across the country. This is a long-term solution to the issues of skills shortages and inner city unemployment.”

ConstructionSkills estimates over 85,000 new entrants per year are needed within the UK construction industry and many of these entrants will need new skills with an increasing focus on new prefabricated building techniques, smart buildings, sustainable development and environmental technologies.

Be Onsite will begin its first pilot scheme later this year.