Forging Pathways from MMC Training to MMC Careers
Mount Lucas pairs a state-of-the-art training campus with a demonstration park for Modern Methods of Construction – developed by educational institutions and industry partners to address the major skills shortages in the construction industry.
The Government’s Housing for All Strategy set ambitious targets to increase the supply of high-quality and affordable housing. To do that, developers, construction professionals, and stakeholders need to explore new and innovative ways to build.
The National Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Demonstration Park in Mount Lucas inspires these new ways of building, showcasing the latest digital technologies and automation solutions. The park will show projects being completed using MMC, giving those training in the construction sector the opportunity to watch the processes in action. A Construction Training Campus set up in tandem trains and develops professionals and trainees advancing their career in both onsite construction and technical skills.
All of this was done with the support of the Laois & Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB), working with industry to meet the most urgent workforce needs.
Yvonne Foy, Training Officer for the LOETB, says that education organisations need to work in tandem with existing construction businesses to both upskill the current generation of construction professionals and the pipeline of trainees coming through.
One of the key issues that the construction industry faces is the discrepancy in awareness of MMC across the body of people working on a building project. Without a sector skilled ... at the sub-contractor level, we cannot achieve modern pipelines. There is a fundamental need for the workforce to pivot their knowledge as the Irish construction industry modernises.
Training Officer for the LOETB
The twinned MMC Demonstration Park and Training Campus meet this dual need.
LOETB’s management of the Mount Lucas training programmes
LOETB’s management of the Mount Lucas training programmes includes designation as a National Centre of Excellence for Nearly Zero Energy Building. It also incorporates an Apprenticeship in Scaffolding and a Traineeship in Utilities, as well as MMC re-skilling programmes in topics such as sustainability and Business Information Modelling.
Offering both higher education options and skills-focused ‘microcredentials’ allow for new-entrant pathways and continued professional development.
Training Officer for the LOETB
Manufacturing experts from off-site company Vision Built developed one of these MMC training courses in partnership with the LOETB. Wayne Yeomans. Director of Sales & Marketing at Vision Built, says that industry partners should be ‘reverse engineering’ their problems by helping education providers develop programmes that will deliver the skilled workforce that can meet their needs.
It's essential we're looking at how we grow organically within the business. Having good connections with local universities and skills and trainings boards means we can work together to bring the next generation through; help them, support them, mentor them, train them and hopefully then get them into the business so they become our future leaders.
Training Officer for the LOETB
Limited MMC training is a problem all industry stakeholders can fix – and all stakeholders can reap the benefits once these skillsets are available industry wide.
Want to see more MMC success stories? Read our Industry Showcases.
