Build Magazine December 2015

Build Magazine 14 he economic crash in 2008 saw the loss of 250,000 construction jobs as companies put a halt to the building of new houses. Since then, the private housing industry has boomed, with an increase of around 11.6% year on year in private house- building activity in recent years. This is partly due to the government Help To Buy Scheme, which encourages first time buyers to move away from renting and into home ownership, and low mortgage rates which means more people can afford to take out mortgages. Despite this rise in demand for construction, there is a growing shortage in those who have the skills required to work in the construction industry, with a loss of around 10,000 construction qualifications being awarded through colleges, universities and apprenticeships since 2013. This is partly due to those who worked in construction prior to the crash not returning to the sector, but also due to lack of young people entering training schemes and gaining qualifications. There is a huge focus on young people staying in education, which means less are looking towards apprenticeships for career advancement. There is a huge focus on There is also a perception that the construction industry is poorly paid. In reality, this is actually untrue; a bricklayer who has been in the industry from the age of 18 could be on a wage of around £30,000 by the time they have reached 23, with this rising to around £50,000 in some parts of Lon- don. This is higher than a lot of entry level graduate jobs, and also does not carry thousands of pounds worth of student debt. Industry experts have estimated that to cope with demand, there needs to be around 35,000 people entering apprentice- ships or gaining qualifications through fur- ther education. 66% of construction firms have had to turn down business in the past year due to a lack of skilled workers; this is having an impact on the UK government’s pledge to build 275,000 affordable homes by 2020. According to CITB, 19% of the current UK workforce will retire within the next 10 years; this means a loss of 400,000 skilled workers in the construction industry which will need to be replaced. Encouraging young people into construc- tion is essential in order to prevent the con- struction industry from collapsing. There are several schemes which have been created to encourage people to consider construction as a career by helping them understand the rewards of working within the construction industry. They include Open Doors, STEMNET, CITB, Get Into Construction and Construction Youth Trust. Jewson Tools Foundation Plus has also been developed with the aim of providing information for young adults interested in pursuing a career in the construction industry. It is estimated that for every £1 spent on these schemes, there is £6.51 equiva- lent return in social value. This is due to increased economic input and reduced unemployment. This shows how vital it is for local councils to get involved in encouraging young people to consider a job in construction as a viable career. This can be done by highlight the benefits of working in construction in schools from an early age when discussing careers, particularly as children approach GCSE and A-levels where school leavers will be considering their options once they leave full time education. There can also be more done to dispel the myth that the construction industry is poorly paid and his little career progression; having this information on easy to find hubs online in a way that is easily absorbed by young adults will be beneficial as information is often conveyed in a way which can seem lengthy or confusing and be off putting to those who may be considering a career in construction. Skills Shortage in the Construction Industry T