The construction industry is facing many barriers to recovery right now. Whether it be materials shortages or soaring energy costs, the industry has some stiff challenges as it tries to respond to a bounce-back in demand – albeit we are yet to feel the full impact of the worsening situation in Ukraine on the UK economy.

But while these sudden and dramatic shocks understandably cause concern, perhaps a more persistent headache with no immediate remedy is that companies find themselves fishing for workers in a shrinking pool of talent. Just as workloads are ramping back up after two years of covid-related disruption, employers cannot now find the right people with the necessary skills to fill essential roles.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show a historically high number of job vacancies in the industry. Over the past 12 months, the average number of vacancies in construction for each over-lapping quarter is 38,000. This is higher than for any period since ONS records began in 2001.