The construction industry needs 380 000 people to join over the next five years if the government is to reach its building targets for schools and hospitals.
Each year 65 000 people will have to come into the sector, to replace those who are leaving. These figures were cited by Sir Michael Latham, chairman of the CITB, at a CIBSE conference in February on recruitment and retention.

Sir Michael pointed out that the construction industry must take responsibility for dealing with the problem of a shrinking workforce, and for training needs: "CITB estimates half a million people need a vocational qualification over two years. But only a minority of companies make any investment in training. Tackling these issues and achieving these targets requires commitment from all in the supply chain."

The shortfall in the numbers of employees needed in construction is at all levels of expertise. At graduate level, Sir Michael acknowledged some real problems: "There has been a fall in the number of people applying for courses in construction, apart from architecture. Courses are closing as a result of falling numbers. The young graduates of 2006 will lead our industry in 2026. It will be no use complaining then if there aren't enough of them."

He also stated that encouraging women and ethnic minorities to view construction as a viable working environment was crucial, and not just a moral and ethical issue. "We all have to repeat the message as often as possible. We need a construction industry which looks more like Britain, and Britain is not all male and white. We should be walking the talk."

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Building Sustainable Design