The partnership will also provide opportunities to join forces to lobby on issues that affect the wider construction industry.

Starting this month, the SPOA will become actively involved in the CECA Scotland Academy. The CECA Scotland Academy provides practical training to develop the next generation of skilled operatives and professionals, and has developed 180 graduates, with 71% of those progressing into positive destinations.

Delegates of the CECA Scotland Academy will have access to the SPOA and its members, gaining a greater understanding of the plant industry and the career opportunities available within it. Crucially, there will also be SPOA-funded training opportunities for those graduates who wish to pursue a career in plant.

David Jarvie, president of the SPOA, said: “This collaboration is a really positive step for SPOA, CECA Scotland and the wider industry. Our organisations represent different but closely connected parts of the construction sector, and many businesses already operate across both.

“There are clear challenges that affect us all, particularly around skills, recruitment and developing the workforce we will need in the years ahead. By working more closely together, we can share knowledge, strengthen the links between our members and create practical opportunities that benefit both employers and people looking to build careers in the industry.

“We hope SPOA members will get behind the CECA Scotland Academy, attend the Meet the Students events and, where possible, help us turn those training opportunities into real jobs.”

Gail McEwen, vice president of the SPOA, added: “As a civil engineer myself, I’ve been particularly looking forward to seeing SPOA and CECA Scotland work more closely together. Plant and civil engineering are intrinsically linked, and there is a huge amount of common ground between our two organisations and the businesses we represent.

“For me, one of the most exciting parts of this collaboration is the opportunity to look at the skills challenge from both sides. We talk a lot as an industry about skills shortages, but we also need to make sure we are creating visible and accessible routes into the careers where those shortages exist.

“The CECA Scotland Academy is already doing a fantastic job of bringing people into civil engineering. If SPOA can build on that by introducing graduates to the plant sector, connecting them with our members and providing additional training opportunities where appropriate, we can help create more routes into employment while developing the workforce our industries need.”

David Macdonald, regional director at CECA Scotland, said: ”The collaboration between CECA and SPOA through the CECA Academy is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when the industry and education work together with a shared ambition.

“Working with partners like SPOA, who have shared members, broadens the opportunity and ensures young people can see the wide range of careers available in the civil engineering sector.

“This is about more than recruitment; it’s about investing in people, developing skills and building the future workforce our industry needs. This collaboration is another step towards futureproofing our industry.”

Meeting the current cohort of students at CECA Scotland Academy is a critical part of this partnership and there are nine events planned before the end of the year. At these events, students will be invited to meet the SPOA and its members to get information and advice on apprenticeships and career opportunities in the plant industry. It will be an opportunity for students actively pursuing a career in construction to engage with potential employers who are challenged by the current skills shortage.

Meet the student events are as follows and will be publicised on the SPOA website and social media channels:

• Inverness: 13th October
• West College Scotland: 20th October
• Dundee and Angus College: 23rd October
• NESCol: 28th October
• Forth Valley College: 29th October
• Fife College: 12th November