John Brown: Competence as a competitive advantage - why Scotland’s construction SMEs must act now

John Brown

Scotland’s construction sector has never been short of skill, resilience or ambition. But today, it finds itself at a pivotal moment, one where rising regulatory demands and shifting client expectations are forcing a fundamental rethink of how we define, measure and demonstrate competence across our workforce.

As highlighted by the Construction Leadership Forum when it published its ‘Understanding competence frameworks: Supporting Scotland’s construction SMEs’, the conversation is no longer about whether competence matters, we all accept that it does. The real question is whether we, as an industry, are prepared to treat competence management as a strategic priority rather than a box-ticking exercise.

For too long, parts of the sector (particularly SMEs) have understandably viewed competence through the narrow lens of compliance. Training certificates are filed, qualifications recorded, and site experience assumed to speak for itself. But the landscape is changing. Increasingly, clients and regulators expect robust, demonstrable evidence that individuals are not just qualified, but truly competent to carry out their roles safely and effectively.

The ripple effects of the Building Safety Act 2022, while primarily focused on England, are already being felt across the UK. Major contractors operating nationwide are aligning their standards accordingly, and that expectation is cascading down through supply chains into Scotland. SMEs that fail to adapt risk being left behind, not because they lack capability, but because they cannot evidence it in a structured, consistent way.

This is where recent guidance published by the Construction Leadership Forum’s Supply Chain Working Group becomes particularly timely. It reframes competence management not as an administrative burden, but as a business-critical tool, one that underpins safety, drives quality, enhances productivity and protects reputation.

From my perspective at the Veitchi Group, we have a long history of staying ahead of the curve. Construction has always been an industry where outcomes are only as strong as the people delivering them. When first tabled, like many, we viewed the requirements to prove competence as slightly insulting and an additional layer of bureaucracy distracting us from the core task of production. We already know what good looks like! 

But in defining this in terms of competence and consistency capturing the evidence to support it, our business benefits from a layer of robustness which we previously didn’t have. This system is fundamentally better as it addresses areas previously uncovered areas. 

What the new guidance does well is demystify the process, particularly for SMEs. There is a misconception that adopting a competence framework requires significant new systems, layers of bureaucracy or costly investment. In reality, most businesses already hold much of the information they need, training records, qualifications, site experience logs and performance assessments. The challenge is bringing these elements together into a coherent, accessible structure.

Importantly, competence is not just about technical ability. The guide rightly emphasises behavioural competence, how individuals apply their skills in real-world environments, how they communicate, how they respond to risk and how they contribute to a positive safety culture. In an industry where human factors often play a decisive role in outcomes, this broader view is essential.

The inclusion of recognised standards and guidance from bodies such as the British Standards Institution and the Health and Safety Executive also provides SMEs with a clear benchmark. It ensures alignment with best practice and offers reassurance to clients that competence is being managed in a credible, consistent way.

But beyond compliance and reassurance, there is a more compelling argument for embracing proactive competence management: competitive advantage.

In a market where margins are tight and reputations are hard-won, the ability to demonstrate a highly competent workforce can be a powerful differentiator. It builds trust with clients, strengthens relationships with principal contractors and enhances an organisation’s standing in procurement processes. It also supports internal benefits, improving workforce planning, identifying skills gaps, and creating clearer pathways for development and progression.

Succession planning, in particular, is an area where many SMEs stand to gain. As experienced workers retire and new entrants join the industry, having a structured approach to competence helps ensure knowledge is transferred effectively and future leaders are developed with intention, not by accident.

Of course, none of this happens overnight. Embedding a competence framework requires leadership, consistency and a willingness to challenge existing practices. But the alternative, continuing with fragmented, informal approaches, carries far greater risk in today’s environment.

Scotland’s construction sector stands at an important crossroads. We can either view rising expectations as an additional layer of bureaucracy, drawing resource and bringing unwanted cost, or we can see them as an opportunity to professionalise further, strengthen our businesses and elevate the industry.

This isn’t just an action for SMEs. It’s an opportunity for our industry as a whole to raise visibility of our standards across all involved. Clients are becoming increasing aware of their responsibilities within appointments, from design teams to contractor choice the topic of competence should be front and centre.

Those who take a proactive approach to competence management will not only meet the demands of today, they will help shape the standards of tomorrow. And in an industry where safety, quality and reputation are so closely intertwined, that may well be the defining factor between those who lead and those who struggle to keep up.