Skills shortages intensify with no signs of slowing

Grant Prior 10 years ago
Share

Job vacancies for construction staff continued to rise strongly at the start of the third quarter.

The latest Report on Jobs, published by KPMG and the REC showed construction in joint-first place out of nine industries in the table of demand for permanent staff – and top in the rankings for temp staff.

At 68.3 in July, the index measuring demand for permanent construction employees was up from 58.6 in June.

The equivalent index for temporary/contract construction workers came in at 69.6, up from 61.0 in June and indicative of a marked and accelerated rate of growth.

Richard Threlfall, Head of Infrastructure, Building and Construction at KPMG, said: “It is clear we are in the grip of an industry wide skills shortage, which shows no signs of abating.

“Businesses are struggling to find the talent they need and this will have long term implications for their growth plans and potentially impact the wider performance of the UK’s economy.

“In July over two fifths of recruiters reported a fall in the number of people looking for work, the steepest decline seen in eight months.

“The construction industry in particular is struggling to keep pace with demand, with businesses heavily recruiting both permanent and temporary workers.

“This is driving significant pay growth in the sector of almost 5%, even outstripping Britain’s surging services industry which in comparison saw pay increases of just over 3%.

“The risk is that a shortage of skilled labour in this sector could impede Britain’s major building projects and put the brakes on the country’s booming real estate market.

“The likelihood is we will see no immediate improvement to this situation. We are already seeing hints of a summer slowdown, as both businesses and candidates put their jobs plans on hold and take holiday over August.”

For the latest construction jobs and to promote you current vacancies visit our Jobs Spy pages here

Latest news

Final phase of £1.5bn Elephant and Castle revamp hits planning

Get Living submits revised plan for 500 homes and 450-bed student block
19 hours ago

Aston Villa to revamp North Stand

Club to reuse existing structure rather than complete rebuild
18 hours ago

Sir Robert McAlpine claws way back into profit

Firm says return to profit and strong cash balance validates new strategy
22 hours ago

Severfield to cut staff by 6% amid pricing pressure

Steelwork contractor warns of extended tighter pricing due to project delays
22 hours ago

JRL completes sale of 50% stake to Malaysian giant IJM

Deal boosts balance sheet and kicks starts growth plan
23 hours ago

Green light for £100m Liverpool Baltic station build

Enabling highway works to start in the autumn
2 days ago

First live tests for flying construction robots

Drones can lay construction materials at height on site
22 hours ago

Three firms land £170m Gentoo Sunderland housing deal

PHS Solutions, Esh and RE:GEN to deliver 10-year home upgrade plan
2 days ago

Gateway gridlock hits build-to-rent delivery as starts nosedive

Build to rent starts plunge 18% in the capital
2 days ago

Call to shift Gateway 2 checks to end building bottleneck

"The current system isn't working but we all want to see safe buildings"
2 days ago

GBN launches £600m bid race for SMR engineer roles

Owner engineers to provide technical and assurance services
2 days ago

Wates hires ex-Homes England chief to head public sector push

Robert Stone to spearhead its public sector and national frameworks strategy
2 days ago

Acheson Construction collapse costs suppliers £8.5m

One frustrated creditor seized a telehandler after contractor went into administration
3 days ago

Dominus wins go-ahead for 173-bed Glasgow scheme

Old Wynd Street job expected to cost around £25m to build
3 days ago

Safety Regulator misses deadline to clear Gateway 2 backlog

Investors pulling out of funding high rise buildings
3 days ago

CITB still sitting on £95m cash pile

Staff numbers jump from 666 to 763 as training body wage bill soars
3 days ago

£500m road surfacing framework market call

NEPO goes out to consultation on north east regional highways deal
3 days ago

Two share £220m Scottish rail repairs and minor works deal

AmcoGiffen and CPMS win civils and building repair deals
3 days ago

Builder wanted for £60m London leisure and flats job

Tower Hamlets aims to replace St George’s Leisure Centre in Shadwell
3 days ago

Contractor confirmed for business park expansion

Roe Developments to start on next phase of Castle Donington scheme
3 days ago

Driver escapes injury as scaffold collapses onto van

Major three-lift scaffold fall blocks north London high street
1 week ago

Gilbert Ash to be sold to staff

£267m turnover contractor to transition to an Employee Ownership Trust
1 week ago

M Group seals biggest-ever deal with Telent takeover

Digital infrastructure specialist deal lifts turnover to £3bn
1 week ago

Aggregates firm Ashville went down owing more than £3m

Debts revealed in Companies House update
1 week ago

Cardo saves 100 jobs at Breyer roofing arm

Private equity-backed Welsh maintenance group continues to expand
1 week ago

Excavator knocked off lorry going under bridge

Traffic Commissioner inquiry after accident in south London
1 week ago

Czech energy tycoon buys UK’s biggest rebar supplier

Spanish offload Celsa UK operation to be rebranded 7 Steel UK
1 week ago

Caddick Construction targets £400m turnover

Regional shake-up pays off at contracting arm
1 week ago

Redrow chief steps down after Barratt merger

Matthew Pratt leaving after 22 years
1 week ago

United Living names new property services senior team

New CEO and COO appointed to lead growth in housing upkeep and retrofit
1 week ago

Contractor services