Over 100,000 extra new jobs have been created in the UK by the increase in house building over the past two years, HBF estimates.
Around 44,000 more new homes were started in 2014 compared to 2012, just before Help to Buy Equity Loan was launched, giving a huge boost to job numbers in house building and in the supply chain. This increase in housebuilding activity mirrors figures released today by NHBC showing new home registrations rose to over 145,000 in 2014.
But tens of thousands more people will need to be recruited and trained over the coming years as the industry gears up to meet the housing requirements of the country and deliver on the ambitions of politicians.
To ensure it can attract the employees required to build the homes needed, the industry has today launched a new website aimed at raising awareness of the many and varied careers open to young people within the industry as it looks to increase its capacity.
www.housebuildingcareers.org.uk showcases the range of jobs that are involved in the development of new homes and communities and has been welcomed by businesses and the Government.
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has launched the site following last November’s House Building Careers Summit in Stratford in London which was organised by HBF and attended by Housing Minister Brandon Lewis, Skills Minister, Nick Boles and house builders. Since then, there has been extensive consultation with member organisations and industry partners.
One of the outputs from the Summit was a challenge to the industry by ministers to better showcase the great variety of careers available for young people in house building. With all political parties committed to greatly increasing the number of new homes built, recruiting and training the tens of thousands of people required will be key to the industry’s ability to hit Government targets.
Commenting on the launch, HBF’s Executive Chairman, Stewart Baseley, said: “Recruiting more skilled workers will be key as the industry shapes up to build the homes the country needs. The recent steep increase in house building activity has seen builders across the country recruiting heavily.
"As the industry increases build rates further, tens of thousands of workers will be needed, from apprentices to skilled professionals. The industry needs skilled and ambitious people in a range of areas including bricklayers, site mangers, engineers and finance professionals and offers an exciting and rewarding career for anyone who wants to help build the communities of the future."
As part of the launch, HBF has opened up a new free-to-join Student membership category, open to any young person undertaking a construction-related course. As Student Members of the Federation they will receive a flow of regular information to keep them updated on industry issues.
Increasing house building has been a priority for Government, with policies such as Help to Buy Equity Loan stimulating demand and thus driving a significant increase in supply. However, despite the increase seen in new build levels since the scheme was launched in April 2013, we are still a long way from delivering the volume of homes needed, or the objectives set by Government or any of the opposition parties. Whilst constraints still remain - not least with the planning process – increasing industry capacity will be crucial if new homes levels are to continue to rise.
Visitors to the new website will find it acts as an information portal for anyone interested in entering the industry, whether they’re at school, college or university. The site also has dedicated sections for military leavers and for those considering returning to the industry or looking for a career change.
It features interviews with house building employees, including apprentices and graduates, from across the many different departments that operate within a house building company. There are plenty of interesting facts and lots of information as to how you can start your journey towards a career in house building.
The site also contains a number of resources for teachers, parents and industry employees to help spread the word and demonstrate how the principles of house building can help support learning in a range of subjects from maths to geography.
