21,000 Construction Recruits Needed Over Next 5 years

The Scottish construction industry will need more than 21,000 recruits over the next five years to replace those leaving the workforce, according to a report by The Construction Skills Network (CSN).

Infrastructure investment is at an all-time high in Scotland and it is predicted that the sector will expand by 0.5% a year for the next five years. This is in part due to several major construction projects in Scotland, including The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route; a 1,000-home development planned for East Ayrshire, and the redevelopment of St. James’ Centre in central Edinburgh.

The report also highlights the growing need for industry workers, with demand for certain trades higher than others. Particularly sought after trade professionals include: Labourers; IT and technology support staff; trade supervisors; and painters and decorators.

Construction sector set for continued growth across the UK

It is estimated that a total of 232,000 constructions industry jobs will be created across the UK over the next five years – an overall increase of 2.5%.

Heavy investment in infrastructure and a rapid growth in private housing has fuelled the growth in the construction industry across the UK, with the CNS expecting sustained growth which will lead to output levels not seen since the 2008 crash.

Growth in the UK is set to be the fourth strongest in Europe, with British builders outstripping those in France, Germany and Spain.

Campaign to train and retain next generation of construction workers

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) recently revealed plans to attract, retain and train the next generation of construction professionals through their Go Construct website and a three-year recruitment campaign. It is hoped that the campaign – which is expected to cost £5m over the course of the next five years –  will help attract 220,000 new people to the industry.

Improving the image of construction

Go Construct allows anyone considering a job in construction to explore the wide array of trade jobs available and features a wide range of resources for every age group, including information for schools and parents.

Go Construct

If you are interested in carving out a job in construction, or you are thinking about retraining for a career in the industry, take a look at more information about the Go Construct campaign and browse their selection of training courses.