BSRIA is concerned by a report that says ‘Britain is not training enough bricklayers’. Construction apprenticeships are down 60 per cent since 2009 despite employer demand says the LGA (Local Government Association).   While almost two-thirds of surveyors told the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors earlier this year that the construction skills shortage was a significant barrier to building and, in turn, business growth. According to employers, more than half of construction skilled trade vacancies are now hard to fill – the worst position for all the skilled trades.   And two thirds of small businesses are turning down work due to the growing skills shortage according to a survey from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Respondents to the survey said that pressure from parents to stay in full-time education and the perception of low-wages was hampering apprentices. According to the FMB, the industry needs around 35,000 new apprentices just to cope with demand, however, in 2013 only around 7,000 apprentices completed their training in construction and it is clear to the FMB that the skills shortage is the biggest issue currently facing the housebuilding industry.   The Construction Industry Training Board is trying to lure those who left the industry when house-building slumped during the credit crunch and to improve the training of those already working in the industry. However housing starts are at their highest annual level since 2007.   Only last week, BSRIA launched its White Paper on ‘Bridging the Skills Gap’, which posed the question: ‘What does our industry need from Government to recruit new entrants and upskill the existing workforce?’ One of the root causes was that ‘too many in government do not have an engineering background and so are disconnected from industry’. What we clearly need is someone in government to come up with some bright ideas and incentivise.   Julia Evans, Chief Executive, BSRIA, said: “We need to change the image of our industry. Government can help industry to communicate better to make engineering more interesting. We need to move the focus away from one of being a ‘construction industry’ to one focussed on ‘the built environment’.   BSRIA acknowledges the hard work and achievement of those receiving yesterday’s GCSE results and we’d encourage those who feel unsure of what to do next to properly explore their options and consider the building industry – especially through apprenticeship schemes. The construction industry offers fantastic earning potential and a whole host of exciting careers.   For those wanting to stay on in education, it is particularly worrying that the number of A-level physics passes reduced by just over 400 this year on last. Physics is a precursor for mechanical and electrical engineering.”   The LGA, which represents over 370 councils in England and Wales, is calling on the government to work with the construction industry, councils and education providers to develop a national ‘Skills to Build’ strategy, delivered locally through the devolution process.   Previous LGA research has highlighted that up to 25 per cent of forecast economic growth to 2022 could be lost if employers cannot recruit the skills and capabilities that they need.

Offering a complete business and networking package, UK Construction Week is pleased to announce that it will be hosting a casino night in partnership with Construction Enquirer and a beer festival to help visitors and exhibitors relax and unwind at the show.   Taking place on the first night of the show (6 October), the casino night will be held at the newly opened Genting International Casino at Resorts World Birmingham.  Just a five-minute walk from the doors of UK Construction Week and conveniently located to nearby hotels, the night offers a chance for visitors and exhibitors alike to relax with a few games of American Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat or Electronic Roulette.   Opening at 12pm on each of the trade days (6 – 8 October), the beer festival will provide a more relaxed atmosphere in which to grab some refreshments and a bite to eat, or simply catch up with friends, colleagues and clients.  With a wide range of traditional, local and rare craft ales on offer, plus a variety of entertainment and live music from across the UK, the beer festival will certainly be a welcome break at the end of a busy day.   There will also be a UK Construction Week Poker Tournament, with players competing to win the Prize Fund of £500 and help raise valuable funds for charity.  Entry is just £10 and will go directly to the winner’s charity of your choice.   Entry to the beer festival is free but early bird tickets are now on sale for £17.50, which includes three beers and a hot dog.  Corporate packages are also available at £175 for a reserved VIP table for 10 people, including three beers and a hot dog each.   Richard Morey, Group Events Director at Media 10, the events company behind UK Construction Week, commented: “We recognise that taking the time out to attend a trade show is a significant investment no matter the size of the company and so it has been our aim from the start to offer maximum return to our visitors and exhibitors. The after hours entertainment programme will provide a valuable extension of the event for professionals to relax and continue to network, particularly to those who have travelled a significant distance.   “UK Construction Week is a unique event in that it brings the whole spectrum of construction together and we feel that by offering a wide variety of extracurricular activities we can play our part in improving the sense of community, knowing that we are stronger together.”   In addition to bringing together 1,000 exhibitors from across the industry with more than 55,000 professionals in an active business environment, the extra-curricular activities make the even more worthwhile to attend.   Visitors to UK Construction Week will be able to attend the Build Show incorporating Civils Expo, the Surface and Materials Show, Energy 2015, HVAC 2015, Kitchens & Bathrooms Live, Plant & Machinery Live, Timber Expo, Smart Buildings 2015 and Grand Designs Live. For more information please visit www.ukconstructionweek.com or follow @UK_CW on Twitter.

Construction output is forecast to increase 13.2% by 2017 and private house building is expected to be a key driver of this growth, according to the latest forecasts from the Construction Products Association. A sharp fall in public housing, however, is expected to hinder short-term growth whilst significant investment in building a skilled workforce will be needed to support construction in the medium-term. Key highlights from the forecasts include: Total construction output is forecast to rise 4.9% in 2015, 4.2% in 2016 and 3.5% in 2017 Private house building is anticipated to rise 9.0% in 2015, 5.5% in 2016 and 3.5% in 2017 Public house building is forecast to fall 10.0% in 2015, 5.0% in 2016 and remain flat in 2017 Infrastructure output is forecast to rise 10.3% in 2015, 10.8% in 2016 and 10.4% in 2017 Dr Noble Francis, Economics Director, commented:  “Prospects for the construction industry are very bright.  Construction output is forecast to increase 4.9% in 2015 – almost double the rate of growth for the UK economy as a whole – and 21.7% overall by 2019.  This growth will mainly be driven by an increase in work across the private housing and infrastructure sectors. “Private house building is forecast to rise 9.0% in 2015 and 5.5% in 2016 as it benefits from a strong property market supported by rising real wages, increased mortgage availability and government policies such as Help to Buy.  However, public house building activity is expected to fall sharply – 10% in 2015 and 5.0% in 2016 – due to the negative impact of cuts to social rents and the extension of Right to Buy on housing association funding. Dr Francis continued:  “Infrastructure is also forecast to be one of the key drivers of construction growth over the next five years.  The government has a National Infrastructure Plan in place with a pipeline of projects across the UK worth £411 billion.  As a consequence, we forecast that infrastructure output will experience double-digit growth each year to the end of our forecast horizon in 2019.  It’s not all good news, however, as yet again we expect delays until 2018 for the main works on the nuclear power station Hinkley Point C.  In addition, due to concerns regarding planning and financing, we do not anticipate main works starting on HS2 before 2020. “Our forecast growth of 21.7% by 2019 for construction has raised a key risk regarding the lack of skilled labour.  Employment in the UK construction industry is now 390,000 lower than at its 2008 peak.  So far, the lack of skilled labour has primarily affected the house building sector.  As the wider industry activity picks up, however, this issue is likely to spread across the industry.  In the short-term, it is already putting upward pressure on costs.  In the medium-term, the forecast growth will not be possible without significant investment in skills.”