'Building Britain again' is great, but let's talk skills gaps

Mark Harris, the owner of Building Careers, has welcomed the swift action of new Chancellor Rachel Reeves to get ‘Britain Building again’ but says we need to address the skills shortages facing the industry

Today Reeves, the UK's first-ever female Chancellor, has committed to creating a task force aimed at accelerating the development of stalled housing projects. This initiative is part of Labour's broader commitment to construct 1.5 million homes over the next five years, a key promise from their election manifesto.

However, right at the centre of the conversation should be the skills gap, Harris says.

He said: "With the ambitious goal of building 1.5 million homes over the next five years, the demand for skilled workers in the construction industry will be higher than ever.

"We are currently facing a significant skills shortage, but we are committed to bridging this gap by providing the best candidates for these projects. Our focus will be on recruiting, training, and supporting a workforce that can meet the needs of this transformative initiative, ensuring that we not only meet the targets but also maintain the highest standards of quality and efficiency in the construction industry.

“Building Careers is already partnering with some of the biggest construction and social housing companies and they are benefiting from our huge network and database. We need to build, but behind every build is a skilled person that can make a difference on sites. We have that.”

The Government's planned actions include:

·        Restoring mandatory housebuilding targets to ensure consistent progress in the housing sector.

·        Constructing 1.5 million homes by the end of the current parliamentary term, with a focus on affordable and council housing.

·        Ending the ban on onshore wind farms, facilitating more sustainable energy sources.

·        Establishing a task force to speed up housing developments that have been delayed.

·        Supporting local authorities by deploying 300additional planning officers nationwide to enhance planning capabilities.

·        Reviewing previously rejected planning applications that could boost the economy if reconsidered.

·        Prioritising the use of brownfield and greybelt land for development, ensuring optimal land use to meet housing targets.

·        Reforming the planning system to ensure the necessary infrastructure is developed to support new housing.

·        Setting out new policies for critical infrastructure, with more details to be provided in the coming months.

Work has already commenced on these housing pledges, with the approval given for the construction of 14,000 new homes in areas including Liverpool Central Docks, Worcester, Northstowe, and Langley Sutton Coldfield.

Chancellor Reeves emphasised that her government has already started working on its housing pledges, marking a significant step forward in addressing the UK's housing crisis and setting a strong foundation for future development.

We require Quantity Surveyors, Estimators, Buyers and Operational staff for both smaller SME’s and National PLC House Builders.

For more information, please contact Mark Harris in confidence.

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