Leading construction
bodies have called for united action between industry and Government to address
skills pinch-points.
Nine industry
federations and representative bodies have jointly called for collaboration to
boost availability of occupations in greatest shortages including site
supervisors, operatives and quantity surveyors.
The organisations -
Association for Consultancy & Engineering, Build UK, Civil Engineering
Contractors Association, Construction Plant-hire Association, Construction
Products Association, Federation of Master Builders, Highways Term Maintenance
Association, National Federation of Builders and the Chartered Institute of
Building – want to see the industry work together to accelerate recruitment for
18 severe shortage roles in industry.
These roles are:
- Acoustic Engineers
- Bricklayers
- Carpenters
- Ceiling Fixers
- Chartered Surveyors
- Civil Engineers
- Construction & building
trades supervisors
- Construction Project Managers
- Design engineers
- Dry Liners
- General Labourers
- Groundworkers
- Mechanical & Electrical
Engineers
- Planners
- Plant And Machine Operatives
- Production Managers And
Directors
- Quantity Surveyors
- Structural Engineers
The roles have been
identified through research from across the members of each organisation and
the wider industry as those that are hardest to recruit for. They are vital to
the delivery of projects nationwide.
The groups recommend
that wherever possible, steps should be taken to recruit for these roles within
the UK, bringing in new workers or upskilling the existing workforce.
Where this is not
possible, it is proposed that the Government add the roles to its Shortage
Occupation list as part of its current review of migration as the UK leaves the
EU. Additions to the Shortage Occupation list would allow these roles to be
prioritised in future migration from the rest of the world, helping industry to
fill these essential roles.
Suzannah Nichol MBE,
chief executive at Build UK said: “Construction projects across the UK are
being held back by a shortage of suitable skills. This survey provides vital
evidence of the specific roles which must now be considered by the Government
for inclusion on the Shortage Occupation list ensuring that we can keep Britain
building.”
Patrick Cusworth,
head of policy and public affairs at the CIOB, said: “We recognise that the
construction industry in the UK needs to be more ambitious in terms of
recruiting, training and developing more people than it currently does.
“However, research
has shown that in the short-to-medium term the industry needs to be able to
continue to access migrant labour in a number of key professions such as
construction and project management and a number of site-based roles.
“If we are to
deliver ambitious housing and infrastructure targets and deliver the quality
and high standards people expect, then we must ensure that we have the
flexibility in place to recruit to these roles, while at the same time taking a
longer view on recruitment and retention in the UK construction industry.”
Richard Beresford,
chief executive of the National Federation of Builders, said: “The industry
working together has produced a clear picture of where the construction
industry will lack skills. It is vital we continue to work together to improve
capability in these areas and with Government to ensure that skills is part of
a comprehensive immigration scheme.”
