CONSTRUCTION ATTRACTS MORE YOUNG PEOPLE AND WOMEN

[MORE YOUNG PEOPLE and women are showing an interest in construction-related careers, according to findings from Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

The strains on the economy are currently putting pressure on employers, who already face skills gaps and worker shortages; but CITB has recently seen a 45% increase in the number of people seeking information about a career in construction. It has seen almost one million visits to its Go Construct website so far this year. A recent survey showed a third of users were under the age of 18, while 33% were female.

The findings, published in the CITB's performance report, also showed a 13% increase in the number of employers accessing CITB training support – which is above CITB's target of 3% – and 11,020 work taster sessions delivered – again, above CITB's target of 4,600.

More than 700 additional employers have been supported, with around £59m invested in grants. Over 1,500 micro and small employers have received almost £8m from CITB's Skills and Training Fund – a 40% annual increase.

CITB’s short course grant scheme has supported over 6,600 businesses, mainly SMEs, with their core training requirements. With the number of apprentices supported by CITB funding increasing by 15%, plus a 10% jump in employers accessing grants, the appetite for apprenticeships remains strong.

CITB chief executive Tim Balcon said: “With a 45% increase in annual traffic – far above our target – we are reaching a wider, more diverse audience about the many opportunities available in construction.

“Encouragingly, the number of people progressing from Go Construct to Talentview to find a job or apprenticeship has continually grown month-on-month. This is further evidence of how Go Construct continues to cement its reputation as the home of reliable, engaging construction careers information.

“We hope to harness this interest to encourage more people into construction-related jobs, directing them to suitable training and apprenticeships, and putting them in touch with employers who are looking to plug their skills gap.”

A number of young people who have chosen construction as their career path added their views on the benefits the industry can bring.

Mimi-Isabella Nwosu is an assistant materials engineer. She commented: "Construction is fun, fast paced, challenging and a rewarding career. You will meet various people on all levels of businesses – and with that come amazing opportunities.”

Site engineer Ellie Shirley added: “Working in construction is a very exciting and rewarding career to go into. You get to work with a great variety of people to create something that will benefit society.”

Build manager Hayden Wills said: “The construction industry is a vibrant, exciting industry and is currently increasing its demand for workers. You reap the rewards with competitive wages and flow of work.” q