Hold on to your hods, everyone! Scotland’s construction sector is about to get very busy. Indeed, news in some quarters of its demise have been greatly exaggerated, as the Scottish construction sector grew by 5.5% in December 2014 compared with the same month in 2013.
A Office of National Statistics report states that industry output in 2014 was up by 7.3%, with anecdotal evidence this shows no sign of slowing.
We’ve seen continued growth throughout this year and last, and a January rebound across the country has shown how invaluable construction is to the economy. In fact, last month was a nineteenth consecutive period of year-on-year monthly growth.
As all manner of construction is becoming such a highly valued skillset here, experts estimate a year-on-year of a growth in wages and in job opportunities.
So what does this continued interest and increase in growth mean for the Scottish construction job market going forward?
Well, for a start, it means whoever’s turn it is to go for the morning rolls and a rolled-up copy of the The Herald is going to need a much bigger carrier bag.
The Federation of Master Builders (FMD) has said that it expects an increase of 6000 jobs a year here over the next five years. This need for new construction workers and the demand for desirable skills in the industry will increase wages, and an early panic about a skills shortage is being addressed by new initiatives from the Government and schools to get more young people in Scotland involved in construction.
2015 could see the return of the apprentice – not the pinsuited and booted city peacocks in Lord Sugar’s front parlour: no, the real deal.
You’re hired: your construction industry needs you.
Last year saw 1434 new apprentices attracted to construction according to CITB Scotland, a four-year high. CITB Scotland also also restarted 171 redundant apprentices last year. This figure is expected to grow over each year over the five-year period, and young people who shied away from a traditional career in construction are now jumping at a career in the reinvigorated sector.
Educational projects such as the new £32 million bioscience quarter at the University of Edinburgh, a new City of Glasgow college campus and the £48 million Wick Community campus also show the investment and opportunity in construction in Scotland.
Established tradesmen and construction companies are now reaping the benefits of Scotland’s hard work to improve the sector.
Now young people are reinvesting their time and energy into a career in construction, as Scotland moves forward into an exciting time for the entire sector.