Construction Boom Sees Surge In Demand For Workers

216,800 new construction workers will be required by 2025, according to a forecast by the Construction Skills Network (CSN).  National Tradesmen News reports that construction is now the leading industry in terms of economic recovery from the pandemic in the UK.  In 2022, the industry in set to meet 2019 levels of output, and surpass this by 2025.

The surge in demand may lead to a shortage of carpenters, electricians, and bricklayers across the sector. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has recommended that extra training and recruitment drives are set in motion in order to meet the rising demand.

The main drivers of growth in some regions are thought to be the HS2 Rail project, at 5.2%, and private housing is also set to expand by 6.7%. Another area of growth is the repair, maintenance and improvements market, which is expected to benefit from more retrofitting projects as buildings are adapted to meet the net zero emissions targets.

CITB Policy Director Steve Radley said: “It’s great to see construction coming back so strongly and creating lots of job opportunities. We need to adopt new approaches to meet these growing skills needs and deliver these quickly.”

“We are working closely with government and FE to build better bridges between FE and work and make apprenticeships more flexible. We are also making significant investments in supporting work experience that make it easier for employers to bring in new blood.”

Annual average recruitment is expected to boom in wood trades and interior fit-out, at 5,500 per year. Other construction professionals and technical staff will increase by 5,150 per year, construction managers by 3,600, and electrical installation trades by 3,400 per year.

In terms of regional growth, the East Midlands and West Midlands are expected to lead the field, with Scotland and Wales also doing well, but the North East experiencing a slight dip.

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