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Skills crisis poses big threat to rail and housing projects

SHORTAGES of skilled workers are approaching crisis point in Britain, a recruitment firm warned yesterday, with unions blaming the failure of government and bosses to train enough apprentices.

Plans to boost housebuilding and upgrade railways are among those threatened by the shortages, according to a new report by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.

It said shortages in construction and engineering are now “critical.”

Confederation chief executive Kevin Green said: “Talent shortages are making it increasingly difficult for employers to find quality candidates. This is now at a critical stage in the construction and engineering sectors, constituting a major threat to planned rail upgrades and housebuilding projects.”

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “There is already a massive skills shortage on rail infrastructure, which is contributing to delays in delivering essential upgrade and renewal projects, and that problem is set to grow over the coming years, compromising works crucial to keeping pace with surging passenger demand.”

GMB national officer Dave Hulse said the union had been warning every employer connected to construction for a very long time that there was a need to recruit young apprentices into the industry.

“This report shows that these warnings were not heeded,” he said.

“Higher nationally agreed rates of pay are needed to bring highly talented and skilled people back to the industry and encourage young people that there is a career in construction.”

Ucatt acting general secretary Brian Rye added: “The levels of construction apprentices have further plummeted due to employers recruiting most of their blue-collar staff through employment agencies.

“Put simply, if employers are not going to recruit workers, then they are not going to train workers either. The answer is to link public-sector procurement to training.”

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