Construction skills in recession says CIOB

12th July 2010 News 721 Views

The construction industry is still suffering from a shortage of skills, despite the recession.

Construction skills in recession says CIOB

That’s according to the Chartered Institute of Building’s (CIOB) fourth annual skills survey.

The report found that 72% of respondents believe there is a skills shortage in construction, with 67% believing that the shortage of apprentices is the biggest threat to the future skills agenda.

Insufficient education about construction at school-level was reported by 47% of respondents as the second-biggest threat to the future skills agenda, while an ageing workforce was underlined by 46% as the third-biggest threat.

The survey also revealed that:

  • 66% feel trade skills are what the industry most requires

  • 74% expect construction demand to either increase or remain the same in the coming year

  • 43% are of the opinion that the construction workforce will continue to decline in 2010/11

  • 66% think that graduates do not have the necessary skills to work in the industry when they leave university

  • 63% of respondents consider a graduate internship scheme would be beneficial to the industry

  • 49% believe that recruiting skills from outside the construction industry is necessary measure

  • 61% of respondents observe that migrant worker levels have either decreased or remained the same over the past year

  • 35% indicate that they have noticed domestic construction personnel moving abroad.

    • About Fiona Russell-Horne

    Group Managing Editor across the BMJ portfolio.

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