Boom time for industry

5 Jul 2006 

LATEST figures show that over 700 construction workers are currently employed on Grosvenor's £920m Paradise Project in Liverpool city centre, as the development reaches its half way stage.

Yet it is an industry of sharp contrasts, with many local time-served workers saying they cannot find jobs on local building sites. At the same time, domestic plumbers are able to earn £1,000 aweek, such is the demand from householders.

The site of dozens of cranes on the Liverpool skyline is aclear indicator that the development boom is continuing, and is likely to do so for some time to come.

Only afew weeks ago a campaign to help more Merseyside construction workers into jobs stepped up agear after anew organisation, Construction for Merseyside, or CfM, moved into its new city centre base.

CfM's Mercury Court offices in Tithebarn Street has been established to help match the needs of employers with available skills, and also help construction staff reach higher levels.

It is estimated that the construction industry will need up to 3,000 new staff each year over the next five to ten years to keep pace with the regeneration taking place across Merseyside, potentially creating aneed for 30,000 craftspeople.

CfM chief executive Guy Lawson said: "CfM's mission is to assist local construction employers to secure the skills they need to become more competitive."

Workers with avalid industry Construction Skills Certification Scheme card can send their details to: Construction for Merseyside, c/o 2020 Liverpool, West House, Mercury Court, Tithebarn Street, Liverpool, L2 2QP.

Although the new organisation has been welcomed, many fully-qualified, experienced tradesmen and tradeswomen say something must be done now to give them, and the next generation of workers, abetter chance of work in the city.

Local workers claim they are squeezed out when big building firms use subcontractors to do certain work on site, or when foreign labour, on a lower hourly rate, is used. Industry leaders say construction firms should be encouraged to take on local labour.

Some major contractors and developers have insisted that contractors have to use aspecified ratio of local labour on contracts to ensure local people can share in the economic and building boom.

Although there may be criticism about the level of non-local labour on some building sites, the reality is that Liverpool's labour flow can also move the other way. Many skilled Merseysiders are involved in projects such as the new Wembley Stadium and Manchester's rebirth.

Paul Flanagan, of Liverpool construction firm the Flanagan Group, says more should be done to involve city firms in Liverpool building projects. His company, which employs 100 people, prides itself on actively recruiting local labour.

He said: "Local firms should be first in our own city, even down to skip hire and building materials. There is sometimes alocal labour policy but no-one polices it.

"Local tradesmen and women are hardworking, loyal, keen and take apride in their work."

Rodney Holmes, Grosvenor's Paradise project director, said: "The Paradise project has already created opportunities for people who have the relevant constructions skills and experience, or who want to complete their training.

"Over 70% of the Paradise project labour force has come from Merseyside. Dozens of men who had to leave Liverpool to find work have been able to come back to work in their own city and to live back at home with their families.

"That is agreat story at the beginning of anew year, economic and social, and the evidence is here on site to see."

In the 1970s, official figures show that nationally more than 100,000 people were being trained for construction industry jobs every year.

Latest figures show that, in the past year, the number being trained as carpenters, bricklayers and plumbers slumped to less than 40,000.

Even worse, it has been estimated that only one in three of those people will go on to complete their training.

The construction industry is "booming" but there is an acute shortage of skilled workers and the standard of training being offered to some new entrants will only make the situation worse, claim industry experts. By Larry Neild City Editor, Daily Post

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