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PRO INSTALLER JANUARY 2016
PRO NEWS
@proinstaller1
Construction skills
shortages push
up wages by 6%
Pay increases in construction are running at three times the national average of 2%.
The latest survey by the
Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors also warned that
skills shortages are putting
at risk some of the government’s biggest housing and
infrastructure programmes.
The RICS UK Construction Market
Survey showed that 61% of construction professionals have reported sharp wage rises in the sector.
Labour shortages were reported
by 66% of construction professionals to be the most significant
barrier to growth in the last quarter
of 2015.
Bricklayers and quantity surveyors are reported to be in particularly short supply, with 62% and
60% of survey respondents having
difficulty finding these workers.
RICS Chief Economist, Simon
Rubinsohn said: “While workloads
are still growing at a relatively
healthy pace, labour shortages in
the construction sector are causing
delays at different stages in the development process and leading to
significant problems with project
planning.
“More than 60% of our survey respondents said that these
resulting planning delays were an
impediment to growth.
“That said, industry wages are
becoming increasingly attractive,
and I would hope that over time
this will encourage skilled workers
to return to the sector, as well as
drawing school leavers and graduates towards construction industry
careers.”
RICS Skills and Talent Director,
Sally Speed said: “The construction
skills crisis is slowing growth in a
sector that is vital to UK plc.
“Unless Government looks to address the problem urgently, some
of its key housing and
infrastructure programmes could
soon face crippling delays and
spiralling costs.
“To tackle the problem, Government must deliver