Survey: Building sector lacking tradespeople, apprentices

A new survey of 229 building firms has made the “alarming discovery” that almost 90% have an inadequate supply of qualified tradespeople, while fewer than 30% currently have apprentices.

The survey, conducted by academics at Dublin Institute of Technology, stated: “Should the construction industry continue to grow as predicted, the lack of new construction apprenticeship registrations since 2013 will have a long-term impact on the ability of the construction sector to reach potential output.”

The survey, mostly of members of the Construction Industry Federation, includes a call by the CIF for measures to tackle the skills gap, which it said is essential to deliver on longer-term requirements such as the National Development Plan.