Construction companies across Ireland are experiencing difficulties recruiting qualified, experienced and even entry-level workers across most disciplines.
According to a survey of CIF member companies, 89% of respondents are currently experiencing difficulties recruiting workers.
Across the board, companies qualified tradespeople are most in demand, particularly those in the wet trades such as block laying, plastering, tiling and painting/decorating.
Respondents also reported a severe lack of engineers, quantity surveyors, foremen, project managers, general operatives, ground workers and apprentices.
74% of those surveyed, said that these recruitment issues are having a direct effect on their companies’ ability to deliver projects on time.
With 79% of respondents reporting that difficulties with recruitment are negatively affecting their business.
Dermot Carey, Director of Safety & Training, Construction Industry Federation (CIF) said: “We are working hard to promote the industry as a career destination for more young people. Despite a healthy 25-year pipeline of work, increasing wages, more technology-led careers and the global nature of construction careers, numbers of young people registering for apprenticeships and apply to construction management in third level is static or declining.
"We are also calling for the many Irish people living abroad with construction expertise and qualifications to return here to work", he continued. "If you are considering a return, contact us and we will help in any way we can. We find ourselves in a position where we have no time to lose, we need to attract those from other countries with construction skills here to deliver the huge demand in housing and infrastructure Ireland’s economy and society requires."
