The current turmoil in the residential housing market has seen a lot of people returning to the job market. In theory, it should help the skills shortage, but in practice, it appears it is not quite so straightforward.
That is one of the key messages to come out of Contract Journal's special Careers Month, which starts in this issue - and what a dramatic change from the same month last year.
A burgeoning housing sector over the past decade has seen people being promoted rapidly and a never-ending list of new job opportunities. But now things are different, and many of those people are finding it difficult to secure jobs in other sectors of construction.
Conversely, anyone with a good record and experience in contracting is still being snapped up by employers - for even better financial rewards.
Building bespoke, design-driven buildings for demanding clients is different to building identikit houses. And that's what makes contractors reluctant to employ workers from the housebuilding sector. But it would be a shame to lose workers to other industries as we did in the 1990s recession.
Could this be an opportunity for ConstructionSkills and training bodies to offer so-called "conversion" courses - allowing people to develop the skills contractors want? It's an option that has to be worth considering or when the upswing comes, we'll see an even bigger skills shortage and no way of meeting demand.
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Comments (4)
I think its despicable using the phrase cast-offs, and also denigrating the residential sector.
What is more, there is no doubt a vested interest in not allowing ex-managerial & technical staff into the contracting sector, a fare number of which have good building qualifications.
The obvious factor is what middle-management contractors are afraid of a large pool of available talent deflating their salaries and job prospects.
This apartheid in construction needs to be addressed by either Boards of companies or if not the Government, as it will lead to artificially higher contract prices than needs to be, not good for part of the industry at present in the dock accused of colluding or price fixing.
Also, for the benefit of the short sighted, most of the staff being expelled at the moment are the higher qualified, as managers in the housing sector are trying to cull any one with better qualifications than their own!
Steve Nicholls BSc(Hons)
Posted by Steve Nicholls | September 7, 2008 5:49 PM
Posted on September 7, 2008 17:49
SAD SIGN OF THE TIMES.I THINK NEW TRAINING FOR THE FUTURE IS THE ONLY WAY FORWARD...
GERRY
Posted by GERRY | September 24, 2008 11:21 AM
Posted on September 24, 2008 11:21
It is not enough just to train and give qualifications, to be a good tradesman needs practice. Because of bureaucracy small companies just not willing to take people on board, even for free.
Posted by Andriy Trukhin | October 17, 2008 9:28 PM
Posted on October 17, 2008 21:28
I am a specialist Headhunter for the Housebuilding and New Homes sector. Things are particularly tough as I specialise in finding people jobs in housebuilding groups. There are some changes going with differing levels of experience but I feel dreadfully sorry for some very capable Land and Technical people, whom have had their worlds turned upside down. In some cases, I am helping find candidates jobs for FREE. These are tough times and speaking as former Housebuilding Director, some of the toughest I have witnessed in twenty years.
Posted by Simon Wilkins | November 1, 2008 8:55 PM
Posted on November 1, 2008 20:55