One of the greatest challenges facing our industry is without doubt the widespread shortage of construction skills. It is estimated that the industry as a whole needs to fill 182,000 jobs by 2018 in order to meet the UK's growing housing demand. In a report by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, the skills shortage in construction and engineering was described as "critical". Earlier this year, Amanda Clack, president of the RICS, went as far as saying: "We are in the grip of our worst construction skills crisis in almost 20 years." In 2014, the construction industry generated £103bn-akin to nearly 6.5% of the UK's total output. With construction now employing 324,000 fewer workers than it did in 2008, a skills shortage in the construction industry is clearly bad news for everyone. Thankfully, the need for investment is recognised.
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