Fears over skills crisis eased - 16.06.05

contractjournal.com Newsletter - 16.06.05

Editorial: Industry is responding to skills gap crisis

Leaked Strategic Forum report reveals that recruitment targets are being met - easing fears that a lack of qualified workers will delay work on historic buildings

CITB-ConstructionSkills revealed this week that a chronic shortage of labour is set to delay work on historic buildings over the next 12 months. The organisation called for 6,500 people over the coming year to accommodate a gulf of skilled labour.

The shortfall, representing 7.5% of the current 86,000 workforce, is in traditional skills such as specialist bricklayers, carpenters, slate and tile roofers and stonemasons.

The £3.5bn-a-year industry covers more than 4 million homes and 550,000 commercial buildings. The spokeswoman said every building built before 1911 is covered by the sector.

However, the same issue of CJ reports contrasting news and offers real hope for all.

A leaked report from the Strategic Forum shows that it has met all its targets for the year and is making good progress towards its other goals.

Significantly these involve recruitment. In meeting next year’s target for 300,000 qualified people to be recruited and trained in the industry, the forum reported that it was over half-way there to achieving its goal: there was a net increase of 164,000 people recruited to the industry between spring 2002 and spring 2004.

The forum is also in line to meet the 2007 target of a 50% increase in applications to built environment higher and further education courses as the number of applications increased from 6,341 in 2002 to 7,917 in 2004 - a 25% increase in two years.

Despite the lack of information to determine the annual rate of construction apprentice completions, the forum reported that “current intelligence” puts the figure at 3,200 in 2004.

The figures don't lie. All in all the future looks a lot brighter than CITB-ConstructionSkills would have us all believe.