Back in May, we wrote about how swiftly the developers we work with had responded to the challenges posed by the pandemic to safely re-open sites, and this month we’re already beginning to see how construction (alongside engineering) is helping to bolster the UK job market.
As many parts of the UK economy begin to re-open, job vacancies jumped up by 54% in the first week of June according to Broadbean Technology, with the construction and engineering sectors reporting the biggest leap in demand.
London reported the greatest uptick in new vacancies, with 37% of all new jobs added last week based in the capital. This rise is perhaps unsurprising as more London firms seek more staff to fill gaps where employees are unavailable to return to work.
According to Broadbean Technology’s data, construction and engineering reported some of the biggest increases in new vacancies week-on-week, up 16% and 10% respectively. Of all new roles added during this period, the two sectors accounted for 29% of the UK’s hiring. This is in line with reports from Build UK which revealed at the end of May that 86% of construction sites in the country had reopened, with more planning to follow suit. With the sector already noting a skills shortage prior to Covid-19, this dearth of talent has been exacerbated by the number of staff unable to return to sites, pushing demand for new hires up.
Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology, commented:
“While there has been a slight dip in vacancies across the UK, the fact that numbers remain towards the top level of figures reported since lockdown began is reassuring. There will be peaks and troughs of hiring as organisations begin reopening and find themselves in need of new staff due to those lost to the business in recent months and any unable to return to work. For sectors like construction and engineering, we expect to see a continued growth in demand for employees as businesses increasingly struggle to get enough people on-site to meet the growing demand.”
In recognition of the key role that construction played in re-starting the UK economy, the Secretary of State wrote a letter of thanks to all those working tirelessly within the construction industry during the Coronavirus pandemic at the end of March. It seems that even as more sectors re-open throughout June and July, construction will continue to play a pivotal role in helping to revive the UK economy this year.
Here at Advantage, we’ve continued to work with our clients to issue structural warranties safely and securely during the pandemic. If you have a question about structural warranties, or would like to request a quote, please get in touch today. Call: 0845 900 3969 or email: sales@ahci.co.uk