Exciting Prospects For Up-and-Coming Construction Talent.

 

The construction industry is huge, and if you’re lucky enough to be part of it, you’ll know how important it is that each trade works together, and no position is left unfilled. 

 

Covid19 has made its impact on our industry, and we’ve been left with the highest levels of vacancies since records began. We need to ensure that we continue to grow as an industry. If we don’t, we won’t be able to keep up with the demand for builds, and the impact from this could be huge. 

 

Thankfully, there has been a new initiative, backed by the Government, launched this month! Talentview Construction also has the backing of the Construction Leadership Council, Universities, Colleges and Construction Industry employers. It was launched on September 21st 2021 and helps support early careers in the construction industry. 

 

Talentview Construction

 

The idea behind this initiative is to fill the vacancies left in the construction industry. There are already over 600 apprenticeships listed! Considering it’s recent launch, that’s an impressive number. Employers can register with TVC and use this to promote their early career jobs. It’s a huge directory for construction careers. This will be the go-to site for anyone starting out in construction. 

 

Yes, we can put up our jobs anywhere and advertise them anywhere, but this allows us to open up all opportunities to a wider audience. This could also encourage more construction managers to open more opportunities on their sites. 

 

You can sign up for alerts for both jobs and training, and you can get advice on particular roles, as well as start building your own network. This is a fantastic tool for anyone starting out in our industry. I can’t wait to see how this website evolves, as if done correctly, this could have a huge positive impact on our industry. 

 

As an employer, you can search for a candidate directly. Do you have specific qualities you’re looking for? Does a potential candidate stand out for you? Don’t worry, you can headhunt them for your position. Build your own network, work closely with universities and colleges, build a future for our younger generation. 

 

The construction industry is a leading industry to work in. It’s fast paced, energetic, talented and vital. We need to ensure that the next generation is as eager to be in our industry as we are.

 

TVC is free to use! The construction industry currently employs around 3 million people and still needs to recruit 217,000 new workers between now and 2025 to continue on the same trajectory and support the current demand. This figure is subject to rise! TVC can hopefully start to bridge this gap and open up the opportunity for new talent!

 

Is Your Business Crumbling Due To A Lack Of Materials?

 

I’m sure you’ve read in the news in the last few days that Jewson's have warned that material prices will continue to rise because we are still experiencing a shortage. The building material shortage is one of many problems we, as an industry, have to deal with after the pandemic and Brexit. No one has come out of the last few years unaffected, and it’s likely to take us a while to get back on our feet. 

 

I have written about this topic a few times. In the past, I hoped it would pass quickly, but unfortunately here I am again, because this is more relevant now than ever.

 

Jewson has announced they will have to continue to put up the prices of some of their goods. Timber, insulation, and even wheelbarrows are on the list. We have seen the cost of timber rise considerably recently, and it’s safe to say it doesn’t look like it has plateaued yet.

 

The disruption to supplies has caused havoc across our industry, projects have come to a standstill, and profits have been considerably lowered.

 

Jewson’s are not the only construction material suppliers to speak out about this crisis. Travis Perkins has also warned of shortages of timber and plasterboard, and B&Q has also spoken out on this issue. Even shops including Ikea and Argos have made reference to not being able to get hold of products.

 

But why is this happening? 

 

Unfortunately, it's the mix of the pandemic, limited workers, and Brexit that affects the supply chain. It seems we, the consumers, face the brunt of the impact.

 

The Bank of England forecasts a rise in inflation this year of 4%. That's the highest inflation rate for 10 years.

 

What is being done?

 

It has been noted Hanson has said they are allocating cement to ensure that there is a reasonable supply. Jewson has also limited certain products to 'so many' per customer. I’m sure you’re aware this isn’t an ideal situation, you don’t need me to tell you that. We need to find a way out of this crisis, because we are slowly coming to a halt.

 

Supply and demand is a huge issue. If you’re needing more information on who is limiting what, you can go onto their websites. They have a note on there explaining what products are causing problems. 

 

On top of this, we are still attempting to reach the government's deadline of 2050 net zero carbon emissions. We're supposed to hit this deadline, but how are we supposed to do it when we're also limited on supplies? I don’t want to say it’s impossible. I’m still hoping this will turn around, but any delays will have a massive impact on how quickly this can be done.

 

If you’re still looking for more info or updates, check out these links below. They might not solve your problems, but they might answer some of your questions. 

 

constructionnews.co.uk

Jewson Supplies

The Guardian

How Does Construction Affect Our Environment?

 

The world is beginning to realise its impact on the environment. Carbon Footprint is a phrase uttered in almost all sectors, but none as much as our industry. 

 

Do you know your impact?

 

"If nothing changes, nothing changes," there is no truer sentence. If your approach to building does not develop with the world, no positivity can come from it. You will always get people who do not believe they can make a difference, or even believe changes are necessary. 

 

The construction industry employs roughly 2.7 million people! 2.7 million people who could make a difference to the carbon emissions! We are not only in one of the biggest industries, but we also have one of the largest proportions of self-employed people, roughly 36%.

 

How much carbon does the construction industry contribute?

 

With regard to air pollution, the construction industry is responsible for 23% of pollution and 32% of total landfill. They’re huge numbers to be responsible for, and it doesn’t take a genius to work out that these figures need to be reduced. 

 

We are one of the biggest uses of non-renewable energy resources, consuming about 40% of stones, gravel, sand, and about 35% of wood per year. These are NON-RENEWABLES, don't forget. What we have to remember is although we are considered massive uses of materials, we are also a fast-paced industry when considering new technology. We have invested considerable sums of money to ensure that our effects are reduced. Nothing is perfect and it will take a while, but with everyone behind the new plans, there is no reason why we cannot turn it around. 

 

Roughly, domestic buildings contribute 27% of carbon emissions, and non-domestic produce 18% of total carbon emissions, which amounts to a whopping 45% together. 72% of domestic emissions come from space heating and hot water. 

 

What can be done?

 

As I said, huge investments are being made in research, materials, deliveries, techniques and construction methods. But it's up to us, as industry workers, to implement them. Yes, they can come at a cost, and sometimes we don’t have it in the budget, but this is where we need to change our thought process. The more we invest in our builds, the more they are potentially worth. We are not a small industry, so our impact has, and will always be huge, but it doesn't have to be negative. 

 

We can use new technologies, including 3D printers and biodegradable materials, as well as better construction methods. 

 

The staggering figure is that the construction industry in the UK accounts for 59% of total waste. That’s 59% of ALL waste in a year. Why do we create so much? If each of us can reduce our waste as individuals, this figure will drop dramatically. 

 

What is it they say? All actions have consequences, and these are ours. Energy efficiency is becoming one of the most talked about subjects, which is fantastic. But talking alone won’t make the changes, we need actions. The UK government has invested significant time and money to ensure that we can move forward and start taking note of our carbon footprint.

 

If you’re building, think about what you can do. Is a Passivhaus for you? Perhaps you might consider living completely off-grid, growing your own veg and being totally sustainable? Whatever it is, even the smallest changes can have a positive impact on those figures. I think we can all agree that something needs to be done, because ‘if nothing changes, nothing changes’.