Angela Rayner’s housing plans are in jeopardy due to a skilled trades shortage, with many young people unaware of career opportunities in construction.
London: There’s a real problem brewing for Angela Rayner. Her ambitious housing plan is facing a crisis. The shortage of skilled workers in construction is a big deal.
New research shows that many young folks don’t even know about careers in trades. Only 13% of students are aware of these options. That’s a huge gap!
Rayner wants to build 1.5 million new homes in England over the next five years. But with fewer workers in construction, those goals seem pretty far-fetched.
In fact, the number of construction workers has dropped by 14.3% in the last five years. That’s a significant decline, making it tough to meet those housing targets.
Reports indicate that over 2 million people were working in UK construction earlier this year. But that’s still down from last year and way below the peak in 2019.
Experts like Andy Simms from MyBuilder.com are calling for action. He believes schools need to do a better job of promoting trades as a career choice.
Simms points out that many students aren’t even told about these options. It’s a shame, especially when finding work after school is tough.
He warns that if things don’t change, it’ll be harder to find skilled tradespeople. The government really needs to step up and work with schools to highlight these careers.
Scott McBride, a plasterer, agrees. He says there are so many benefits to working in trades that kids just aren’t hearing about. Schools seem to push the A Levels and university route too much.
His son, Frank, chose to follow in his dad’s footsteps. He didn’t want to go the academic route, but he feels schools should promote trades more.
