A pan industry group of trade bodies has published a ‘Building After Brexit’ action plan setting out steps to mitigate the impact of the UK’s forthcoming exit from the European Union.

Recommendations include attracting talent to the sector by increasing apprenticeship starts, creating new pathways into construction for under represented groups and providing better work experience opportunities.

The plan also calls for a ‘future skills strategy’ to be developed to identify the skills required to modernise the industry, while also driving digitalisation and boosting investment in modern methods of construction to improve productivity.

“Recruitment is already very difficult for some key roles and this will be exacerbated once migration from the EU is reduced post Brexit,” said Civil Engineering Contractors Association chief executive Alasdair Reisner.

“We must work together, as an industry and with Government to target these gaps; boosting UK based recruitment and training while looking to sensible migration from the rest of the world to meet demand.”

The action plan also urges efforts to retain the existing workforce by supporting older employees to stay in the industry, upskilling current workers and offering improved mental health support.

Meanwhile there is a need to work with Government to agree how to maintain access to migrant workers, it says.

The action plan was developed by CECA, the Construction Products Association, the
Federation of Master Builders, the Home Builders Federation and the Construction Industry Training Board.

(Photograph: Network Rail)