Fears are growing for the future of UK construction as the situation with the shortage of workers is no longer symptomatic of the recession.
With 58% of construction companies planning on recruiting within the next year (compared to 36% in 2011) there have been urgent calls on the government to boost student numbers in the STEM subjects - science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Historically the UK has produced world class engineering projects both in the UK and internationally. If this is to continue, the issue of staff shortages must be addressed. Without the construction industry pressing ahead, the economy will continue to shrink. Construction accounts for a quarter of the UK turnover.
Firms are reporting difficulty filling vacancies despite demand for construction related jobs increasing constantly which suggests great confidence within the UK economy. There is a shortage of the right people across all sectors of the industry.
Despite the engineering sector being in the limelight after completion of high profile projects such as the Olympic Stadium, difficulty filling engineering vacancies has increased significantly since 2011.
Whilst the demand is good news for anyone interested in joining the construction industry, it remains of utmost importance to ensure that the education system is bringing to the jobs market the engineers and technicians that are so desperately needed in todays construction industry, whilst encouraging more students to consider the construction industry as a career path.