The UK construction industry will reqire just half the number of new recruits than previously thought over the next four year, according to a forecast by the Construction Skills Network (CSN).

Revising original predictions made in February to take into account the economic downturn, CSN said the industry would require 42,000 new recruits per year between 2009 and 2013, compared to the 88,000 figure quoted previously.

Contract Journal (CJ) said the news is a major blow to CSN, which has spent several years highlighting an industry skills shortage and has urged employers to take on more apprentices.

However, training body ConstructionSkills urged employers to continue training recruits. Its 2020 Vision report predicts the may be worth £109bn by 2020 and that the sector is expected to expand by 0.7% a year between 2009 and 2013, reported Building.

The news came as the Government announced a new 'clearing house' to match apprentices with jobs, reported CJ. Skills secretary John Denham said the government would also create a construction taskforce of key sector employers and unions to advise on long-term employment issues.

ConstructionSkills also warned that only 4,600 employer vacancies are on offer to the 19,000 apprentice applications received so far this year.

Source

Construction Manager