According to the findings of a YouGov Poll commissioned by Construction United, around two thirds of British people would not consider a career in the construction industry.

At a time when the construction industry has a shortfall of talent, with an estimated 100,000 workers needed to cope with Britain’s infrastructure construction demands according to the Government’s National Infrastructure Plan for Skills report, the results of the survey may highlight the gap between public perception of the construction industry and the reality.

The poll of 2,000 members of the public measured perceptions of a number of industries and found that the vast majority would never consider a career in the construction industry (67%), with just 17% saying that they would consider it.

In addition, construction is not seen in a particularly academic light, with 41% of respondents stating that it is one of the sectors least likely to require higher/further education, along with the armed forces (40%) and charity work (39%).

So why do so many people avoid the industry? The words/phrases Brits associate with construction may shed some light on this - when questioned, 68% of the survey-takers described the work as ‘strenuous’, and 58% saw it as ‘dirty’. Meanwhile, only 11% think the industry is ‘exciting’.

The industry, which accounts for more than 6% of the UK’s GDP, has a number of other image problems to combat, as nearly a quarter (23%) of those polled view construction work as creating ‘mess, traffic and inconvenience’. However, the industry is the driving force behind the biggest investment into British infrastructure since Victorian times.

Construction United, which commissioned the poll, is a coalition of some of the industry’s leading companies and experts, which aims to promote the sector, while dispelling the myths and outdated perceptions that the public may have about construction.

Mark Tomlin, UK group sales and marketing director at one of Construction United’s major contributors, SIG Distribution, said: “It’s a shame that a sector as broad and diverse as construction can often be viewed negatively. For the most part the public only really sees loud, inconvenient building works rather than seeing essential improvements to our country. One of our central aims is to combat and not only make the industry more proud of the great work it does, but to ensure that the public sees the benefit of new buildings and infrastructure.

He continued: “The results of this survey prove that there is a huge disconnect between the way that construction is viewed and the reality. A sector that provides so much to the UK economy, and whose role is to modernise the buildings that we live in and the transport links we use every day, should be seen as a vital, worthwhile sector that the country should be rightly proud of.”

Construction United is calling for all those with a vested interest in the success and image of the industry to come together and join the cause, ensuring that a true picture of the industry emerges. As well as championing the cause throughout the year, the campaign will culminate in a week of awareness raising events from 17-23 October.

To find out more about Construction United visit www.constructionunited.co.uk