Construction wages and apprenticeships on the rise
In 2014/15, for the second year in a row, the number of people starting construction, planning and the built environment apprenticeships in England rose, reaching 17,820. Although the figure was the highest since 2010/11, it was still considerably lower than 2006/07 when 27,300 people started construction apprenticeships.
The news of increase came as construction industry employment continued to grow at a steady rate with figures from the Office for National Statistics showing a 0.5% rise in construction employees over the previous year, from 2,096,000 to 2,106,000.
For some, this growth in employment and apprenticeship numbers provided evidence of the industry responding to warnings about skills shortages.
Tom Crane, an economist at industry analyst Glenigan said, “The increased numbers of apprenticeships may not solve the skills shortage in the short-term, this will be solved by people coming back from other industries and abroad. However, the statistics suggest that the industry is starting to invest more in the future.
"At the moment I think that the fear of the skill shortage is greater than the actual shortage in labour on the ground. The awareness that has been created may be encouraging companies to plan ahead. If we were to have another year with growth of 4-5% then we would have issues, but growth of 2-3% the industry should be able to handle.”
In addition to these figures, analysis of Labour Market statistics revealed that the average weekly earnings of construction workers in the three months to August 2015 was £593, compared with £557 the year before. This rise by an average of 5.1% was the fastest annual increase in any UK industry, together with an increase of 10,000 jobs since June 2014.
Employment Minister Priti Patel said: “The construction industry is a real success story. More than 2 million people are employed in the sector, and their hard work is resulting in more money in their pay packets. Up and down the country more people are in work and enjoying the security of a pay-cheque, helping transform Britain into a higher wage, lower taxation and lower welfare society.”
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
C20 Society; Buildings at Risk List 2025
10 more buildings published with updates on the past decade of buildings featured.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation, closing 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
From project managers to rising stars, sustainability pioneers and more.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.