ALMOST 30,000 extra construction jobs are to be created in Scotland over the next five years according to new research by CITB.
CITB’s Construction Skills Network forecast shows private housing is expected to be the fastest growing sector in Scotland between now and 2018, with an average annual output of 4.7%.
In addition to the boost provided by the Scottish government’s ‘Help to Buy’ scheme, key housing projects at a local level that are expected to contribute to the private housing sector’s growth in Scotland include a £100m Eco Village in Aberdeen and the £1.5bn sustainable housing development in the Douglas Valley.
While this is positive news for Scotland’s construction industry, the research also shows that after a year of strong expansion in 2010, output in Scotland fell over the subsequent two years.
Average output over the next five years is expected to be slightly below the rest of the UK.
Graeme Ogilvy, Scotland Director for CITB, said, “The figures are both encouraging and challenging. The positive news is that unemployment fell faster in Scotland in 2013 than anywhere else in the UK, however as an industry with the highest level of hard-to-fill vacancies, the onus is on ensuring there is a trained and highly qualified workforce in the pipeline ready to fill almost 30,000 vacancies over the next five years. The construction industry offers a wealth of opportunities for young people.
“CITB Scotland is committed to and working to build capacity to train these additional people through our role as a managing agency, and through on site assessment and training.”
