ECIA calls for government's help

The Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA) has called on government to help resolve the industry's skills shortages and related employment issues.

ECIA managing director Mike Hockey met with ministers this week and called for extra state funding for training UK apprentices, while also stating that the use of overseas workers does not threaten future UK employment. "Skills shortages are a growing problem. The average age of a site craftsman is now nearly 50. Overseas workers can help plug the gap, but only in the short term.

"The industry needs to more than quadruple the current number of apprentices. We can not acheive this without government help to identify additional funding," he said.

Hockey dismissed concerns that increased use of overseas workers raises safety concerns. "We understand the concerns, but believe they can be overcome provided the right measures are in place. Where failures have occurred, this appears to have been a result of poor management, not the nationality of the individuals involved."