Columnist

Construction workforce growth can't be a quick fix

The Government has announced it is providing a £600 million investment to train up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers.

Ministers say it will deliver well-paid jobs across the country in the construction sector and provide the resource needed to build 1.5 million homes to transform communities by the end of this Parliament.

It is heartening to see the Government has listened and understands that, without investment, the increased output it is demanding from the construction sector would not be achievable.

In the North East alone, we need 30,000 more people in the industry by 2030 just to meet predicted demands for housing and wider civils and infrastructure projects.

While the size of the investment is impressive, I hope more is available in the long term, and not just for the short-term fix required to hit construction targets.

We have seen such a decline in the workforce through retirement and other sectors taking some of our brightest and best away. 

We must continue to communicate forcefully that our sector regularly leads the way in terms of the adoption of technology and sustainability practices, and that we play a vital role in driving the economy forward. 

We are a huge asset to the country if we have the necessary trained people to deliver.

The £600 million represents a big investment, and we must ensure it is spent wisely. 

That said, this is a fantastic opportunity for businesses and regional economies to get people into our industry for lifelong careers.

As we move through 2025, here at Construction Alliance North East, we really want to focus on fair payment. 

This is one of our three critical pillars to drive positive change in our sector. 

We are seeking harmonisation of payment terms up and down the supply chain, so they are fair and equitable for everyone.

We know the Government has fair payment policies and charters in place. 

They are good documents, but we would like to see much more in terms of intent through moves like, for example, signing up clients, suppliers and entire supply chains on projects with the assurance that everybody will be paid as quickly as possible. 

It is really important for smaller contractors in the supply chain not to have to wait too long to get paid. 

We are working to get a document in place that represents the views and needs of the construction sector in the North East, and which we can push out across the UK.

Tim Barrett is chair of Construction Alliance North East 

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