altSIR DIGBY JONES (pictured), the Government's skills envoy, has said today that he does not want the facilities for the 2012 Olympics to be built by Polish immigrants.

 

In an article published in today's edition of Building, the former director general of the CBI, writes that the construction industry needs to make sure it produces another qualified experts to make sure that Britain enjoys the legacy of staging the Games and does not need to turn to Eastern European labour.

 

It has been claimed by one recruitment company in Holland that they have already received expressions of interest from 50,000 Polish builders who are interested in travelling to Lonon to work on the Olympic facilities.

 

Sir Digby writes: "The Games are the greatest work opportunity the UK construction industry has ever been offered.

 

"It is important not to see this as the London Olympics, but as the UK’s Games.

"We cannot waste a moment in investing in better processes, more efficient systems, and recruiting more and better skilled people into a sector that is historically resistant to change, new systems, and innovation.
 
"A 16 year old this summer, will be 21 when the 2012 opening ceremony takes place.
 
"The age of 16 is a junction in a person’s education – let us have the courage to adapt the training and work environment for this age group to something more suitable for the 21st century.
 
"The industry must turn the heads of those young people who feel that higher education is not for them, and persuade them to enter a career that is beneficial to them and important for the country’s economy.
 
"Anyone involved in the sector should make special effort to involve schools and colleges in giving youngsters the skills and vocational training to deliver London 2012 on time.
 
"We have the opportunity to buck the prediction that builders in 2010 will bemoan the lack of skilled people and the poor conduits of materials and service supply."
 
He continued: "We need to make our Olympic Games a meaningful legacy for young people, for whom they will provide the chance to acquire skills for life, a sense of importance in the construction of a project upon which the world will be focused, and a route to good money, and therefore the finer things in life in the years ahead.
 
"I don’t want my country’s capital city having its infrastructure built by Poland…do you?"