Member Article

Construction industry set to create 16,000 jobs in Yorkshire & Humber in the next 5 years

The construction industry will be creating almost 16,000 new jobs in Yorkshire and the Humber over the next five years, according to new research published by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

Leeds College of Building is urging young people to find out more about a career in construction in order to meet the demand.

Ian Billyard, principal of Leeds College of Building, says: “CITB’s Construction Skills Network forecast shows that the economy is turning a corner. After five difficult years in the North of England, the region is expected to see strong growth and we need to attract new talent into the industry to meet this increase in demand.”

The CITB states that the new jobs will be fuelled by demand for new homes, forecasting that the average output for public housing in Yorkshire and the Humber will grow by 4.2% annually up to 2018, and by 4.1% for private housing. The commercial sector is also predicted to grow by 3% each year.

Ian says: “These are healthy looking growth figures and there are also a number of upcoming infrastructure projects in Yorkshire and the Humber that will help to stimulate the market further and create new jobs.”

Key projects at a local level that are expected to contribute to the rise in construction jobs include the Leeds Kirkgate and Victoria Gate regeneration scheme, the £1.5 billion regeneration scheme between Bradford city centre and Shipley town centre, where homes, offices and retail space are to be built and the £120 million managed motorway works on the M1 junctions 39-42 around Wakefield.

Over 3,000 new employees will be required each year between now and 2018 to fulfil these projects according to the CITB.

Ian adds: “As the construction industry gains momentum, employers want to be prepared for the opportunities that are coming to our region, which means that now is the ideal time to consider a career in construction.

“As the only specialist construction college in the UK, we have exceptional links with employers and are confident that we can help individuals to fulfil their career ambitions.

“The courses we offer are based on careers in the building services, construction and engineering sectors and students have the option to study full-time, part-time or via the Apprenticeship route.

“We are a great alternative to sixth form education and with our new state of the art campus opening in early 2015, we will be better equipped than ever to educate the next generation of construction workers.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .