Kubota, the UK’s leading manufacturer of construction machinery, has heralded new findings from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), which suggests that as many as 217,000 new jobs will be created in British construction over the next five years.
The CITB’s report goes onto forecast output and employment for the sector returning to pre-COVID 19 levels by net year, with infrastructure output expected to grow at an average of 5.2% per annum between now and 2026.
Glen Hampson, Construction Division Manager at Kubota UK, believes the report is the surest sign yet that green shoots of recovery are beginning to flourish across the sector. Glen says: “While the industry is undoubtedly still operating within a challenging climate, the latest projections from the CITB suggest that calmer, more prosperous, waters lie ahead.
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“The creation of more than 200,000 jobs is welcome news indeed, not just for our industry but for the wider economy, to which construction output contributes 7% GDP annually. From major infrastructure upgrades, such as HS2, to the 180,000 new, affordable homes the government pledged to build this decade, it is clear that the construction industry will play a central role in the country’s post-COVID recovery plans.
“This news should also give us pause for thought on the much discussed sector skills gap, which has been exacerbated, in part, by the pandemic. In order to fill these new vacancies, the sector must be considering now how it can attract younger people, and businesses right across the supply chain should be considering the steps they are taking to harness the talent of tomorrow.”
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