Civils contractors have called for the development of a dedicated skills plan for the infrastructure sector after it was found that more than half of companies in the sector are having trouble attracting sufficiently-skilled staff.

Results from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA)’s Workload Trends Survey for 2019 Q4 show that 52% of British firms, on balance, reported supply issues with skilled operatives, the highest in nearly five years.

The most commonly reported dissatisfaction with supply in the last quarter of 2019 was for skilled operatives in England (52%), Scotland (63%), and Wales (36%).

CECA chief executive Alasdair Reisner said: “CECA’s Workload Trends Survey is one of the most comprehensive barometers of the state of our industry. Our members are reporting continued difficulties with the supply of suitable workers, which should set alarm-bells ringing in Whitehall, Holyrood, and Cardiff.

“The pipeline of planned investment in the infrastructure sector is of a sufficient scale to be transformative to the whole of the UK economy, but unless the workforce is sufficiently skilled in all parts of the UK, our members will be unable to deliver it to its full potential.

“Industry and government at all levels must co-operate now to put in place a comprehensive skills plan for the infrastructure sector, both to upskill the existing workforce and attract new entrants to the industry, if we are going to be able to deliver the ‘infrastructure revolution’ we need, and secure the British economy in the coming years.”

Click here to download CECA’s Workload Trends Survey for 2019 Q4.