How Can We Save UK Construction Industry

Although the overall economy prospects look positive at the moment, the construction industry of the UK is still suffering.

According to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), the first quarter of 2015 saw 24,000 UK builders losing their jobs. That’s 277 builders every day dropping out of the system. A similar tendency has continued into the 2nd quarter. In fact, FMB’s regular State of Trade reports show that the UK’s building industry is on a decline staggering 14 quarters in a row.

Although in the short term we’re faced with the problems like taxes that the construction industry is not paying and the houses that they’re not building, there are long-term consequences to think about. The main problem is that once people occupied in skilled trades lose their jobs and move into less qualified sectors, they are almost entirely lost. Very few of them come back. It’s a vicious circle when people are not taken back on because they’ve been out of the trade for so long and they cannot get their skills brushed up because they’re not being taken on.

All this can lead to a high level of outside-EU migrant influx because when the construction industry finally picks up, the specialists will all have been gone.

With the Green Deal looming in September 2012, we’re left with the question, will there be enough skilled builders left to drive the Green Deal forward?

Is there something that can be done in order to save the UK construction industry?

Further education is necessary to raise the interest in green retrofits and prepare people for the Green Deal. Scepticism is one of the main factors forcing the builders to make decisions of closing business.

The Government needs a straight and transparent housing strategy so that the industry can predict the volume of work. It is actually a silly situation – we still have shortage of housing but the same time builders are losing their jobs…

Do you have any ideas? Please share them by adding your comments: