Young people need to be encouraged into building, engineering and other in-demand trades - Paul McFadyen

At metals4U, we recently researched skills shortages in the UK, looking through popular job sites to compare vacancies across different trades, to discover which sectors are struggling the most and where the highest demand is. The research revealed 52,113 active job listings for builders, 12,005 for electricians, and 11,928 for plumbers, highlighting the trades struggling the most to keep up with the rising demand.

Our research discovered over 140,000 vacancies for construction jobs in total, confirming that many businesses around the country are struggling to fill roles. This trend is something we expect to continue, as not enough is being done to combat the lack of opportunities for young people. A recent report suggested that a further 937,000 new workers will be needed in construction and trade to meet growing demand by 2032.

We see first-hand some of the reasons why the industry might be struggling. Firstly, there is an ageing workforce, with many experienced workers with the right skill set, approaching retirement age. Secondly, there are limited opportunities for young people when it comes to training and apprenticeship schemes, meaning there aren’t enough workers with the right qualifications and experience to cope with demand.

Brexit and Covid-19 also brought uncertainty to the construction industry, with the decision to leave the EU making it more difficult to hire skilled workers from abroad. Many European workers returned to their home countries during this time, and left companies with the challenge of finding a replacement. The pandemic has meant we’ve been playing catch up due to disruptions caused by nationwide lockdowns, and a surge in demand for workers and materials after restrictions were lifted, hasn’t helped the current situation. A changing workforce, push for sustainability, and demand for the latest technologies means construction workers now need to be more skilled than ever. This makes education key. There needs to be an emphasis on schools, colleges, universities and independent projects, to encourage young people into building, engineering and other in-demand trades.

This is something we are really focused on at metals4U, and recently we have partnered with Ore Projects to ensure we do what we can for the industry. Ore Projects is a scheme that encourages young people into careers in welding, casting, and mould-making by offering workshops, online tutorials and providing links to relevant job agencies. The project is for 16-25-year-olds across the UK who have a real interest in metal making, providing them with the skills and contacts they need to find a career they enjoy.

The project runs workshops and we have pledged our support for the project by providing any steel they need free of charge. It’s important everyone does their bit to support the different construction trades, as demand is only set to continue.

Paul McFadyen is chairman of metals4U.