According to the NSCC (National Specialist Contractors Council), the recent improvement in trading conditions has highlighted a skills shortage among specialist contractors.
The latest NSCC State of Trade Survey reveals an increase in orders for a fourth successive quarter. The recent seasonal trend of a decline in orders in the third quarter did not materialise this year with the balance of orders, the difference between respondents reporting an increase in those reporting a decrease, reaching its highest level since 2006.
This has left specialist contractors with a skills gap which CITB highlighted in a report earlier this year. 21% of respondents reported finding it more difficult to recruit skilled labour this quarter, with those finding it less difficult plummeting to just 3%. 68% attributed the difficulty to the low number of applicants with the necessary skills and 50% to a lack of experience. The number of specialist contractors unable to bid for work due to skills shortages reached 13%, the highest level since 2007.
However, the issue has been recognised with 39% of specialist contractors expecting to take on at least one apprentice over the next 12 months and two-thirds of those looking to recruit two or more apprentices.
NSCC is committed to facilitating apprenticeships in the specialist sector and is leading the action within the Industrial Strategy: Construction 2025 to provide a high level statement setting out the industry's commitment to having young people working on sites. In addition, the Council has recently taken on its own apprentice who is undertaking a Level 3 NVQ in Business and Administration and will provide support to the NSCC team across a variety of projects and activities.
NSCC chief executive Suzannah Nichol MBE said: 'It would appear that the outlook for specialist contractors is increasingly positive with almost half of specialist contractors expecting to expand their businesses over the next year. However, it is now time to invest in our workforce to prevent future skills shortages and safeguard the successful long term growth of the industry.'
