Everyone’s talking about sustainability, but is enough being done to sustain Construction?

Short of skills, short of women and short of young people to replace those about to retire in the next ten years, construction has a lot of work to do.

MRA Research added 4 questions to its new Builders Merchant Monthly Omnibus Survey to ask merchants about skills shortages, young people and women in the industry.

Skills shortages

About 1 in 6 (16%) of merchants say that skills shortages and finding the next generation of builders is the most important challenge for the industry – Chart 6.

Independents (21%), Lightside Merchants (28%), Large outlets and merchants in the South (21%) are the most concerned.

 

 Young people in the industry

I in 3 merchants say it’s easy to attract young people into the industry. But a similar proportion say it’s difficult – Chart 7.

 

Percentage of women in the industry

While still a minority, the number of women in the industry is growing. Nearly 1 in ten merchants say women make up 31-50% of their workforce – Chart 8.

Recruiting women into the industry

Builders’ merchants find it easier now to recruit women into the industry than young people – Chart 9.

Read more on the questions here.