The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) predicts that the construction industry in Wales will grow faster than any other party of the UK.
According to CITB, the Welsh construction industry will create 12,250 new jobs between 2018 and 2022. Demand will be particularly high for wood tradespeople, interior fit out staff and service based roles including technical and IT staff, project management and administration.
The National Federation of Builders (NFB) has often talked about the importance of addressing the skills crisis, calling on the Government to outline an industrial strategy that benefits every region in the country. In order to tackle the skills shortage, apprenticeships need to be better targeted at a regional level, and SMEs should be given more purchasing power so that they are able to develop their own training provisions.
Many members of the NFB have called for more support in sourcing apprentices for work. Apprenticeships add £1.1 billion to the Welsh economy, with success rates in construction above 80%. In addition, apprentice and education schemes provide insight for young people and access to over 180 different roles available in the industry.
Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: ‘The need to attract talent to the industry in Wales has never been greater given the current shortage of skilled and talented people. Welsh construction companies need to engage young people early on to show them the breadth of opportunities available and must be supported in doing so. Successful apprenticeships and training programmes will boost the economic outlook nationally and benefit local communities.