Construction industry to create nearly 200,000 jobs

However, the forecast also warns that housing cannot be relied on to deliver growth and the CITB is calling for sustained investment in longer-term infrastructure and industrial projects to secure growth beyond 2015.

James Wates, chairman of CITB, said, “Clarity and certainty of future projects is an important element of a sustained recovery. That gives employers the confidence to train and to plan.

“The report shows that the economy is turning the corner and the UK construction industry will benefit from that. But growth needs to be sustainable; underpinned by long-term infrastructure projects and continued investment.

“The Government’s Help-to-Buy scheme has kick-started demand across the housing market and announcements on nuclear power, rail and roads have the potential to breathe fresh life into infrastructure and industry. Alongside this, we’d welcome fresh incentives to encourage house building, and the assurance that major infrastructure projects in the pipeline go ahead as planned.

“Employment [in construction] in 2018 is predicted to be 196,000 below pre-recession levels, which is why measures must be taken now to ensure growth is sustained over the long-term.”

Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation, said: “Help to Buy has addressed the biggest short-term constraint on supply and as a result, builders are increasing output and looking to recruit in all areas – as outlined in the report.

“All political parties recognise the social and economic benefits of increased housing supply and policies need to promote this, but as the economy recovers, and lending conditions improve generally, we look to the future with confidence. To build the homes the country needs we will need a bigger and suitably skilled workforce and we are working with the industry to put this in place.”

Blueprint for Construction predicts infrastructure projects having the second largest impact on growth behind home building, with average annual growth of 3.6p, followed by industrial at 3pc and public housing at 2.2pc.

The knock-on effect is set to be a spike in demand for new workers which, if not met, could lead to skills shortages in some occupations. Most sought after will be plant mechanics, followed by civil engineers and construction process managers.

Work starting on the UK’s new fleet of nuclear power stations is also expected to create the the biggest increase in demand for scaffolders Britain has seen for four years.

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