The construction industry was one of the first sectors to bounce back from its 41% fall in vacancies in March 2020 to become one of the very few areas where recruitment is now picking up.
The news comes as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its latest Labour Market Overview earlier this week (26/1/21), with all employment-related statistics for the UK showing a range of industries including hospitality, leisure and retail continuing to reel from the impact of Covid-19 and lockdown.
The figures show that although overall unemployment rates continue to rise, job hunters can take some comfort from encouraging figures about the construction industry’s recovery.
The new figures from the ONS, covering October to December 2020, show that vacancies in the sector are now 8% higher than the same period last year, pre-COVID. There are an estimated 28,000 vacancies, another jump up from the previous three months. Construction is one of just two sectors to have seen an increase in vacancies overall since December 2019.
The ONS says: “Construction was one of the sectors to see a large quarterly fall in vacancies at the start of the pandemic in April to June 2020, with a consistent recovery since the summer.”
To encourage more people to sign up for the wide range of construction roles now needed, a free-to-use recruitment platform, the Construction Talent Retention Scheme, is launching its latest social media campaigns promoting the latest opportunities for skilled workers.
This is a not-for-profit programme, funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and backed by business organisations, professional institutions and construction unions. Its online portal enables job hunters to upload their CV and make contact with more than 770 potential employers.
The portal is currently advertising 1,124 live vacancies for roles as varied as senior construction project managers to customer service staff, engineers, salespeople, estimators, digger operators, HGV drivers, handypersons, electricians, plasterers and plumbers, and warehouse assistants.
SAEMA – Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Association – is pleased to share this story which shows there are clear positives within the construction industry during these difficult times.
SAEMA continues to deliver the best training and guidance for the temporary and permanent suspended access industry. Being a SAEMA member send a message to that you adhere strictly to the latest national and international standards and guidance for façade access and are actively involved in developing and setting these standards.