A confident comeback has been suggested by the Construction Skills Network report with the report anticipating that over 25,000 construction jobs could be created in the North West over the next 3 years, whilst offering a cautionary note that skills shortages in the industry could yet hold back the expected building boom.


The Construction Skills Network report, which was released today suggests the industry will experience growth of around 2.5% in the period between 2015 and 2019, creating around 4,790 new jobs each year, helping to fuel the Northern Economic Powerhouse.


According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) the boom in building in the region is being created by demand for leisure, commercial sector as well as public sector housing.

There are a number of projects in the city that are helping to create this boom including the 10-year, £1bn house building partnership between Mnchester Council and the Abu Dhabi United Group, which will see 6,000 new homes built in the city.
In addition the housing market is buoyant and expected to significantly grow in the coming year and there will be a high demand for construction labour for the planned work on the Carrington Power Station.


Steve Housden, the CITB’s sector strategy manager for the North West, said: “This report is terrific news for the region and shows the construction industry is making a strong comeback.


“Worryingly, though, construction is facing a skills gap, with projects potentially held back due to a lack of skilled workers.


That’s why CITB is working with industry to attract the next generation of workers and encourage skilled tradespeople who left the industry in the recession to return.


“This positive forecast shows that now is the right time to start, or return, to a rewarding career in construction.”


Whilst the report anticipated the industry will create an additional 25,000 new jobs in the North West in the coming few years, it also outlines that a minimum of 14,850 construction workers will be required in the same period.


The knock on impact from this building boom will be seen in building supplies, where it is expected the country’s builders' merchants can expect a significant increase in demand (we’re certainly seeing some supply and demand having an impact on various construction products) and the report demonstrates where this demand will be most keenly felt, with the number of predicted jobs and trades including: 510 electricians and installers, 470 plant mechanics, 460 painters and decorators, 360 bricklayers and 270 plasters.


The annual forecast of the growth in the UK’s private housing sector which is a major growth driver in the construction industry is 4.6% and nationally the CITB has forecast there will be a requirement for more than 224,000 construction jobs as the sector continues along this growth.