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Carillion bosses drove construction firm off a cliff, say MPs

May 16, 2018

Carillion's board presided over a "rotten corporate culture" and was culpable for its "costly collapse", two committees of MPs have concluded. They also called for a potential break-up of the big four audit firms, after they "waved through" the indebted construction firm's accounts. And they attacked the government for lacking "decisiveness and bravery" to tackle corporate regulation failures. The MPs said regulators should consider...

CIOB: British and migrant workers ‘at risk of exploitation’ on UK construction sites

May 15, 2018

UK contractors have been urged to face up to the “significant human rights risks” in their supply chains after the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) found that both British and foreign workers are at risk of exploitation despite recent legislation. Criticising the industry’s “slow response” to the Modern Slavery Act , the Construction and the Modern Slavery Act suggests...

Bullying On Construction Sites

May 01, 2018

Bullying On Construction Sites What is bullying? Are head flushing, name calling antics simply the domain of the playground? Or does the behaviour transfer beyond the school gates and into the workplace? Sadly, the latter is true, with over 60% of employees experiencing bullying in the workplace at some time in their career. Bullying is not discriminative, it effects males and females, young and old. It is commonplace in...

179,000 UK construction jobs need to be filled from 2018 to 2021

Apr 10, 2018

Derby College has teamed up with colleagues at Gateshead College to launch a research project into the skills shortages and limited engagement in Construction degree courses. The BRIDGE project has been supported by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEGCE) Catalyst Fund and has been prompted by a Construction Skills Network report which has highlighted a growing skills shortage in the industry. The study said that...

Construction Workers will earn more than university graduates

Mar 06, 2018

Construction apprentices will go on to earn thousands of pounds more, every year, than many of their university-educated counterparts, according to the latest research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) NI. Small building firms across NI were asked what they pay their tradespeople and the average annual salaries were as follows: Supervisors earn £48,456 Site managers earn £47,856 Steel fixers earn...

Around 100 construction jobs to be created by £18mn Beamish Museum expansion

Jan 11, 2018

Beamish Museum, in Chester-le-street, is set create almost 100 new jobs as part of an £18mn expansion. The project is the largest in the museum's 48-year history and is due for completion in 2021. It is designed to attract an extra 100,000 tourists to the region, with the Heritage Lottery Fund having provided a £10.9mn boost to the initiative. Tradespeople, including bricklayers, stonemasons, general labourers,...

Commercial building slump sparks unexpected fall in construction activity

Jan 11, 2018

OUTPUT in the UK's construction sector unexpectedly fell last month as commercial building and civil engineering work continued to drag on the industry. The Markit/CIPS UK Construction purchasing managers' index (PMI) showed a reading of 52.2 in December, down from 53.1 in November and below economists' forecasts of 53.1. A reading above 50 indicates growth. Despite the industry struggling to fire on all cylinders, housebuilding...

UK construction sector downbeat despite house build rise

Jan 10, 2018

Output in the UK's construction sector unexpectedly fell last month as commercial building and civil engineering work continued to drag on the industry. The Markit/CIPS UK Construction purchasing managers' index (PMI) showed a reading of 52.2 in December, down from 53.1 in November and below economists' forecasts of 53.1. A reading above 50 indicates growth. Despite the industry struggling to fire...

Hard Brexit could cost 43,000 construction jobs

Jan 09, 2018

Impact on UK Construction One of the major issues facing the construction sector is the shortage of skills. The sector currently relies heavily on a foreign migrant labour force. Almost 13% of construction workers across the UK were born abroad, and in London and the South East, this proportion increases to 50%. In particular, 25% of employees in the sector in London were born in the EEA Once the UK leaves the Single Market, it...

Robots will take 600,000 of UK Construction jobs by 2040

Jan 08, 2018

Robots will take 600,000 of UK builders' jobs by 2040 as construction experts warn of a 'fourth industrial revolution' By 2040, there will be just 15,500 carpenters and interior fitters, report found There may be just 6,500 decorators in 20 years, compared with 110,000 now While increased robotics and automation may take jobs, it will increase safety It will also create new roles such as computer...

Only the big UK construction firms grew last year

Oct 25, 2017

Only larger construction companies have seen growth in the past year, according to accountants and business advisors. Growth dropped for all companies below the £25-100 million turnover group surveyed and stagnated for the smallest group. The latest Construction Sector Report crunched the numbers to analyse the financial health of construction companies across North London and Hertfordshire and found some surprising results...

10 reasons why the UK needs Crossrail 2

Sep 21, 2017

The Crossrail 2 proposal to link railway routes in Surrey and Hertfordshire via a new tunnel under central London would not merely provide a cross-city suburban link like the Elizabeth Line, but instead would be a ‘transformational’ project providing direct benefits ‘from the Wash to the Solent’ while also supporting UK-wide transport and economic needs, Crossrail 2 Managing Director Michèle Dix told a joint...

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