The UK currently finds itself in the grips of a Skills Shortage as construction job vacancies hit a 20 year high. But a lot of you may be wondering, what is a skills shortage? In this article, we will try to answer any questions you might have and highlight why this is an amazing opportunity for new people to enter the industry and capitalize on this gap in the market.
What Is Causing The Skills Shortage?
With over 20% of the UK’s construction workforce aged 50 or over and a further 15% being 60 or over this has resulted in an ageing workforce in the UK’s construction industry. The problem with this is that as these groups creep closer to retirement there is not enough young people coming through and taking their place in the industry. An FMB survey found that 38% of people were struggling to hire a bricklayer and 34% of people were finding it difficult to find a skilled carpenter.
With the construction industry in the UK being one of the least digitised of all, and with younger people being tech centred it is hard to try and sell this brilliant industry to them. As well as this, it is thought that teachers and parents like to push the young of today down an academic path instead of a vocational one.
In addition to this, there have been various events that have resulted in a large amount of migrant workers leaving the UK. It is estimated that almost 700,000 migrant workers left London over a 14 month period. The reasons for individuals choosing to leave is always unique however, most have sited that uncertainty over Brexit and Covid-19 travel restrictions have forced their hand.
Is There A Gap In The Market?
Yes! To put it simply there is a real need for skilled tradespeople across the construction industry. Are you are currently sat at home considering a career change? If so, this is an amazing opportunity for you to re-train and enter an industry in desperate need of the skills you will pick up. In addition to this, here at Able Skills we often see a high percentage of our students go on to become self-employed and are in control of their careers.
How Can Able Skills Help?
Here at Able Skills, we offer a variety of training courses across a variety of subject matters. If you are new to the industry and want to make the most of the opportunity that this Skills Shortage has provided you with, we can help you! We offer entry-level courses in subjects ranging from Carpentry to Electrician Training.
As you can see from the video above our facilities are second to none and will provide you with the perfect learning environment as you take the first steps towards achieving your industry-recognised qualifications with Able Skills. In addition to this, all of our instructors have years of industry experience and will be more than happy to share their extensive knowledge of their chosen industry with you.
How Do I Find Out More?
If you want to find out more about the courses we offer and which ones may be best for you please do feel free to come and visit us. Our training centre is located in Dartford and there is no need to book an appointment. Simply arrive when it suits you. Once you are here one of our brilliant team will be able to show you around where you can see our facilities with your own eyes. However, if you cannot make it to us in person do not hesitate to give us a call on 01322280202.