Contractors Advised how to Screen Teenage Employees

Even though the construction industry has need of skillful workforce, contractors should be very careful when choosing new team members, especially if they are under the age of 18. These young people should never work on the construction site without proper training, skills and knowledge appropriate for the construction industry.

For a young person to be able to work on the construction site, they need to be able to understand the concept of percentages and ratios, be able to communicate well and to convey their message to other team members and superiors. They should always arrive on time; have good manners and respect the dress code at all times.

These few things are an excerpt from the new guide that aims at educating companies how to hire minors, which was produced by Build UK at the request of Strategic Forum for Construction and the Construction Leadership Council.

Strategic Forum

In the analysis of the Strategic Forum it is recorded that contractors try to avoid employing young people under the age of 18 for many reasons. Some of these reasons include the difficulty of complying with the safety regulations, as well as the insurance plans for these youngsters. However, if everything is done according to the books, there is no need of worry.

The Strategic Forum Guidance for Employing Young People contains a lot of information that contractors can find useful when hiring minors. In this guide they can find the best way to introduce the new workforce to the industry, explain them how to cope with the new assignments and enables employers to assess the risks of their decision.  This Forum is actually aiming at bringing down the walls that prevent the young population from becoming part of the growing construction industry.

The construction industry is now stuck in limbo and the only way forward is to think outside of the box. The young people are capable and willing to work, but the industry must find a way to make this job interesting and easily approachable for them. For this to work, all parties involved need to put a great effort – contractors must learn how to educate the minors, and the young population must see the opportunities this industry has to offer.