I've had my own small building firm for twenty years now but I'm starting to think about early retirement. What should I be doing to think about keeping the business going when I don't want to be the boss? I've got a couple of members of staff of a similar age to me.

You’re definitely right to start thinking about it in plenty of time.

I've recently done some health and safety training and it's really boosted the morale of my staff. If I want to invest in some more training, what's the next logical thing to focus on?

There are loads of opportunities to continue training and ConstructionSkills employs special advisors who will help you identify what you and your staff would benefit from being trained in.

My son wants to go into the construction industry but I want to know what the growth areas are and how he should get into them? With the Government's drive to get people to University, will he need a degree?

According to industry forecasts from the Construction Skills Network there is a requirement for 87,000 new recruits every year and with a huge range of jobs from skilled trades to professions your son has made a great career choice!

I run a medium-sized construction firm and we've got a management level position available. We're interested in getting in some new blood, but how do I go about recruiting a new graduate and what would I need to be able to provide them if we employed them?

A great way to attract a graduate into your firm is through the Inspire scholarship scheme, which sponsors undergraduates through construction and built environment degree courses. ConstructionSkills, the scheme backers, will advertise the vacancy and perform the initial sift of applications, saving you money on HR tasks.

I'm a small builder, and while I want to invest in training for my staff, it sounds like it's going to be expensive. Is there any financial help available?
Training costs can vary from £17.50 to sit the health and safety test to thousands of pounds for higher level qualifications such as degrees, but investing in your staff does reap rewards.

The recent news about the crane accidents has made me think more about the safety of my staff on-site. We all did apprenticeships years ago but how can we update our health and safety knowledge?

Don’t worry – it is now easier than ever to get all your staff up to date for health and safety.

I'm looking for an apprentice joiner to supplement my current team of ten. I've had an application from a female candidate, and I don't want to sounds sexist, but is it really a suitable job for a woman? What would I need to provide for her if I did take her on?

If the candidate has passed the initial tests, for example if she’s come to you through the ConstructionSkills Apprenticeship Scheme, then you know she’s capable of doing the job.

I've been in the industry for years and have built up my skills on the job. But now I'm getting asked for proof of my skills and qualifications by some contractors. I don't want to go to college at my age - what can I do?

Luckily, this is a common problem in the construction industry, and there are two routes to help you get qualified.