Green covers blanket the buildings, cranes tear up the skylines - despite the plummeting economy, and Britain still seems to be in the midst of a commercial building boom. While other sectors are cutting back, the commercial building industry is not, with the problematic result of a sharp shortage in construction workers to fill the increasing demands of the companies.
The dearth of skilled construction workers becomes most apparent when looking at last year's figures. 13,000 building projects were initiated in 2007 alone, and in order to support these projects, some 18,600 labourers were needed. The deficiency in skills is therefore widespread, expanding from the trade to the non-trade. Within trades, the highest annual requirements come from the wood and the electrical trades, but demands are also high for brick-layers and construction specialists. In the non-trades, construction managers, business processing managers, architects, office-based IT recruits, and technical and professional staff are among those on high demand.
These shortages are mainly a consequence of three variables: 1) the demands of the building boom; 2) the decline in the number of East Europeans in the trade; 3) the misconceptions about construction work that recruiters have.
The first reason, which was discussed previously, is relatively obvious - the more construction projects there are, the more recruits that need to be hired to do the job.
The Polish construction boom is also having an influence on the shortage of skilled Polish labourers in the British building industry. As many of Britain's most capable construction workers are leaving the country to return to Poland, the UK is much affected by this loss.
The third reason that the UK is experiencing a worker shortage is due to recruiters' misconceptions of what construction work actually entails. Many job hunters perceive builders as hard-hats limited to a construction site, while in reality, a lot of construction jobs are often managerial or office-based.
Numerous steps have been taken to compensate for the lack of recruits in the trade. One approach adopted by companies is to break the predominantly white and male-dominated construction trend by trying to recruit women and individuals from various ethnic groups as well. The National Association of Women in Construction is an example of a company that widens the recruiting net, in order to target groups with a larger range of skills and work ethics. This also creates a more diverse work place, and allows for fresh ideas to be introduced into the industry.
The Sustainable Employment Legacy Forum and Inspire Scholarships are two programs that provide initiatives to get younger generations interested in the industry. They not only organise trips for children to visit construction sites, but provide training courses, student funds, and apprenticeships for those in the poorer areas of London, by doing so encouraging more graduates to enter the trade.
Another approach to bridging the employment gap is to change the way in which the building industry is viewed. By educating people to expand their view of the trade and teaching people that construction is more than hard hats and light-reflecting mesh jackets, more individuals might start to see construction as a job for them. - 15478
The dearth of skilled construction workers becomes most apparent when looking at last year's figures. 13,000 building projects were initiated in 2007 alone, and in order to support these projects, some 18,600 labourers were needed. The deficiency in skills is therefore widespread, expanding from the trade to the non-trade. Within trades, the highest annual requirements come from the wood and the electrical trades, but demands are also high for brick-layers and construction specialists. In the non-trades, construction managers, business processing managers, architects, office-based IT recruits, and technical and professional staff are among those on high demand.
These shortages are mainly a consequence of three variables: 1) the demands of the building boom; 2) the decline in the number of East Europeans in the trade; 3) the misconceptions about construction work that recruiters have.
The first reason, which was discussed previously, is relatively obvious - the more construction projects there are, the more recruits that need to be hired to do the job.
The Polish construction boom is also having an influence on the shortage of skilled Polish labourers in the British building industry. As many of Britain's most capable construction workers are leaving the country to return to Poland, the UK is much affected by this loss.
The third reason that the UK is experiencing a worker shortage is due to recruiters' misconceptions of what construction work actually entails. Many job hunters perceive builders as hard-hats limited to a construction site, while in reality, a lot of construction jobs are often managerial or office-based.
Numerous steps have been taken to compensate for the lack of recruits in the trade. One approach adopted by companies is to break the predominantly white and male-dominated construction trend by trying to recruit women and individuals from various ethnic groups as well. The National Association of Women in Construction is an example of a company that widens the recruiting net, in order to target groups with a larger range of skills and work ethics. This also creates a more diverse work place, and allows for fresh ideas to be introduced into the industry.
The Sustainable Employment Legacy Forum and Inspire Scholarships are two programs that provide initiatives to get younger generations interested in the industry. They not only organise trips for children to visit construction sites, but provide training courses, student funds, and apprenticeships for those in the poorer areas of London, by doing so encouraging more graduates to enter the trade.
Another approach to bridging the employment gap is to change the way in which the building industry is viewed. By educating people to expand their view of the trade and teaching people that construction is more than hard hats and light-reflecting mesh jackets, more individuals might start to see construction as a job for them. - 15478
About the Author:
Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about central heating, plumbers, Wimbledon boiler, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.
