46 | FEBRUARY 2018
Recruitment
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TRADESPEOPLE
STRUGGLE TO RECRUIT
UK tradespeople are optimistic about the
future, with 82% expecting business activity
to remain at the same level or grow over the
next 12 months. Additionally, nearly half
(45%) report being busier than last year.
ducted by trade retailer,
Screwfix, has revealed the
majority (57%) are reporting
difficulties in recruiting staff
to support them. This is
primarily due to:
• a lack of focus on en-
couraging new people
to train in the trades
• not enough local skilled
tradespeople
• too much red tape.
For those who struggle to
recruit skilled employees,
more than one third (37%)
believe it is because ap-
prenticeships are not given
the same level of respect
as a university education.
Furthermore, 31% say poor
public perception of a
career in the trade means
school leavers are not inter-
ested in pursuing a future in
construction.
The research, conducted
as part of Screwfix Trade
Pulse*, a monthly index of
more than 500 UK trades-
people, also revealed strong
work levels across the trade
at the moment, as nearly
one fifth (18%) of trades-
people has more work than
they can handle and 40%
are quoting for more jobs
than 12 months ago.
Nearly all (94%) trades-
people said they would
recommend a career in the
trade and of the reasons
why, 85% say they have a
strong sense of achievement
when a job is done and,
80% enjoy seeing the results
of their hard work.
More than half (57%) of
those surveyed said they
started as apprentices and,
when it comes to increasing
the numbers undertaking
trade apprenticeships, more
than one third (35%) be-
lieve greater focus is need-
ed on vocational education
in schools. More than
one quarter (26%) believe
improved awareness about
the opportunities offered by
a career in the trade would
drive greater uptake of
apprenticeships, with 19%
saying that reducing red
tape for employers look-
ing to hire an apprentice
should be considered.
The research also looked
at views around those en-
tering construction at a later
stage in their careers. The
significant majority (82%)
of tradespeople think more
could be done to attract
people to the trade further
into their working lives.
More than two thirds (69%)
think increasing awareness
of the opportunities availa-
ble would help attract peo-
ple into the trade and 61%
believe greater knowledge
of the support available to
retrain is also crucial.
Graham Bell, CEO of
Screwfix, comments: “When
we speak to tradespeople
across our 546 stores, they
reflect what these findings
show us. Tradespeople
tell us they have full work
diaries but, many struggle
to recruit skilled employees
when looking to support
their growing business