Lack of recruits in construction industry fuels concerns over housing sector
Published: 26-Mar-2008
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The UK construction industry needs to see a massive increase in the number of yearly recruits in order to meet housing targets.
According to a spokesman for the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (Ucatt), there are currently not enough workers in the industry, raising concerns about the slowdown of the housing sector.
He noted that the industry was relying on migrant workers from Eastern Europe who would eventually return to their countries of origin.
The spokesman commented: "In terms of construction we need over 80,000 new recruits every year and last year there were just 7,500 apprenticeships. It has a huge impact and there are concerns about the slowdown of the housing sector.
"The skills gap is currently being filled by eastern European migrant workers; we're relying on workers who won't be here forever and if other European countries fully open theireconomies those workers will become much more dissipated.
"There aren't sufficient construction workers to do the work that is needed and migrant workers are filling the gap."
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