They will come masons, molders or foremen. Business education can also be pursued at the University of Alicante. The Construction Labor Foundation and the university plan to launch a major project: a specialized center to be located on land within the Science Park. The goal is to improve the qualifications of professionals in the sector across the province and reduce the labor shortages that many companies face.
This will be the foundation’s first center on a university campus, structured in a tripartite model that includes the National Construction Confederation, represented by Fecia in Alicante, together with the CC OO and UGT unions. It will join the existing network of centers already operating in Villareal, Valencia and Bétera. The Bétera site, a property spanning more than 4,000 square meters inaugurated in December 2021, has become a reference point for the sector and will serve as a blueprint for the new complex on the Alicante campus.
The plan is for the University of Alicante to hand over the site while the Construction Labor Foundation will cover the costs of executing and operating the center project, for which the relevant agreement is in preparation. For now, both institutions have signed a framework cooperation agreement. This will allow the Construction Labor Foundation to organize courses and activities on the Science Park’s main building, which opened last week.
In any case, the objective is to have the new specialized training center up and running within two years. According to Mercedes Giron, the general secretary of Fecia, this demonstrates that Bétera’s center cost about seven million euros, giving a sense of the budget that the venture may require, though the exact figure will depend on the chosen architectural project. (Source: Construction Labor Foundation).
Also for engineers
The proposal to build the new center in the Science Park originated with the foundation and was warmly received by the UA rector, Amparo Navarro, who personally traveled to Bétera to learn how the organization operates. (Source: University of Alicante).
In this context, the university notes that the Construction Labor Foundation, beyond training tradespeople, also acts as a facilitator. It offers certificates and accreditations that are in high demand among engineers and other university graduates working in the industry. Moreover, it plays a pivotal role in this field by transferring information and helping professionals stay up to date through collaboration between the university and the company. Occupational hazards is one of the main emphasis areas, with training that is especially relevant to this sector given the nature of the work involved.
More than 1,400 people are taking courses from the Construction Labor Foundation and Mutxamel City Council
Just last year, the Construction Labor Foundation delivered training to 8,287 individuals across the Valencian Community, with 77.7% choosing courses related to occupational safety; 21.3% pursuing some form of trade specialization; and 1% engaging in cross-subject topics such as languages.
More employment
In the sector, approximately 56,000 people are currently employed in construction in the province of Alicante, following the creation of more than 2,600 new jobs last year, according to the latest membership data. Of these, 19,666 are self-employed and 36,316 are salaried workers.
Labor shortage increases permanent employment in construction fivefold
One of the industries facing the most pronounced staffing challenges is construction, which is contending with a lack of qualified workers and a slow rate of generational change. At present, 35.2% of workers in this activity are over 50 years old. The planned initiatives around the UA Science Park are expected to help ease this situation and, for example, encourage greater participation by women in the sector.