Industry vacancies bounce back, with available jobs 8% ahead of pre-pandemic levels
28,000 construction industry roles available
Government-backed recruitment platform, the Construction Talent Retention Scheme, helps get candidates and employers matched online
While a range of industries such as hospitality, leisure and retail continue to reel from the impact of Covid-19 and lockdown, construction has become one of the shining lights for job hunters, bouncing back from its sharp 41% fall in vacancies in March 2020 to become one of the very few areas where recruitment is now picking up.
This morning (26 January 2021) the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its latest ‘Labour Market Overview’ with all employment-related statistics for the UK. Although unemployment rates continue to rise, job hunters can take some comfort from encouraging figures about the industry’s recovery.
The new figures from the ONS, covering October to December 2020, show that vacancies in the sector are now 8% higher than the same period last year, pre-Covid. There are an estimated 28,000 vacancies, another jump up from the previous three months. Construction is one of just two sectors to have seen an increase in vacancies overall since December 2019.
The ONS says: “Construction was one of the sectors to see a large quarterly fall in vacancies at the start of the pandemic in April to June 2020, with a consistent recovery since the summer.”
To encourage more people to sign up for the wide range of construction roles now needed, a free-to-use recruitment platform, the Construction Talent Retention Scheme, is launching its latest social media campaigns promoting the latest opportunities for skilled workers.
The Construction Talent Retention Scheme is a not-for-profit programme, funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and backed by business organisations, professional institutions and construction unions. Its online portal enables job hunters to upload their CV and make contact with more than 770 potential employers.
The portal is currently advertising 1,124 live vacancies for roles as varied as senior construction project managers to customer service staff, engineers, salespeople, estimators, digger operators, HGV drivers, handypersons, electricians, plasterers and plumbers, and warehouse assistants.
Three women seeking roles in the industry – Julie Traynor, Liza Zanoni and Anne Couesnon – are among more than 1,400 candidates who have already signed up to the scheme. In each case, they have found the Construction Talent Retention Scheme a good source of potential vacancies.
Julie Traynor, a chartered quantity surveyor and barrister, says:
“After my management consultancy and social strategy business was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, I was so pleased to find the Construction Talent Retention Scheme. The portal is great, easy to use and creates an effective marketplace between employers and candidates, without the need of a middleman.
“Knowing that so many employers can easily access my professional profile, and correspondingly, that I have direct access to their opportunities and vacancies, is wonderful. It makes the whole process of finding a new opportunity much less stressful. I would definitely recommend to anyone seeking a role in the construction industry to sign up to the Construction Talent Retention Scheme.”
Liza Zanoni had been working as a Project Manager for a small building company in Wales until last October. She says:
“As soon as I realised my role was at risk of redundancy, I put as much time and effort as I could into identifying and making use of all of the different platforms and channels to look for jobs and to network with people.
“I first found out about the Construction Talent Retention Scheme while I was on LinkedIn and immediately liked what I saw. What immediately struck me was the fact it’s an extremely professional service and an intelligent response to the current situation. The tools are easy to understand and use.”
Anne Couesnon has been using the scheme to look for new roles in business development and bid management. She says:
“I immediately logged on to the site and found it was extremely easy to use. I’ve found it really useful because it contains a large database of companies I’m interested in working for and it’s constantly updated with new roles, which I check on a regular basis.
“I’ve applied for more than 20 vacancies so far and taken part in interviews, one of which I’m waiting to hear back on, and it’s all been through the Construction Talent Retention Scheme.”
? Innovative asphalt recycling generates landmark 43% carbon reductions on UK’s first carbon neutral pavement scheme
? Aggregate Industries team recommended an innovative Foamix approach to A590 M6 J36 to Brettarg Holt resurfacing project
? Scheme also used the recently launched SuperLow range of asphalts – the only Carbon Neutral asphalt available in the UK
? Carbon offsetting achieved through credits from Circular Ecology
The contracting division of Aggregate Industries has made history by completing the UK’s first carbon neutral pavement scheme as part of Highways England’s A590 M6 J36 to Brettarg Holt resurfacing project.
Now complete, the road improvement project included full depth resurfacing of the dual carriageway between the M6 junction 36 and Brettargh Holt roundabout, along with the roundabout at junction 36. This forms part of the estimated £8million A590 scheme designed with a low carbon strategy to ensure safer, smoother journeys for road users on this vital route in Southern Cumbria.
Heavily trafficked, the surface had come to the end of its life with dangerous potholes and uneven surfacing posing a real safety risk for drivers. Hence, Highways England’s (HE) objective was to ensure the new road was constructed quickly, safely and with minimum disruption to customers and the local road network.
A scheme like no other, the project came with highly ambitious carbon reduction targets which saw Aggregate Industries’ expert technical credentials and value engineering approach help to achieve the UK’s first carbon neutral road improvement project.
Working in collaboration with principal contractor, AE Yates and designers AMEY, at the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) stage over 18 months before the contract began, Aggregate Industries’ National Technical Manager, Neil Leake, recommended an innovative Foamix approach.
This pavement design option meant that the structural layers of the existing road surface were recycled and encapsulated back into the pavement by producing an ex situ cold recycled asphalt which – when combined with the use of Aggregate Industries’ recently launched range of SuperLow asphalt helped to achieve a carbon neutral pavement construction. As the only Carbon Neutral asphalt available in the UK, SuperLow technology enables reduced carbon levels when compared to standard asphalt due to being manufactured at reduced temperatures.
Key to this, a dedicated SiteBatch mixing plant was placed on site to ensure continuous and consistent Foamix material was produced, supported by a fleet of Volvo Moxy dumper trucks to transfer material to site and return the extracted planings.
This approach allowed for maximum efficiency and saw the team lay over a 1,000T of Foamix asphalt per night, working 24 hours a day across two shifts, ensuring minimum disruption to the local area while keeping in advance of all key deadlines.
Working in this way, asides from the obvious benefit of improved circular economy and significant reductions in CO2 in the mixing process, negated the need for truck movements and waste disposal costs, hugely improving the sustainability aspects. The result was a huge 43% carbon reduction, as opposed to when using conventional resurfacing methods.
What’s more, as an industry first, through its partnership with Circular Ecology (a non-profit organisation), Aggregate Industries purchased a number of credits to offset the remaining carbon on the scheme.
With Aggregate Industries advanced Site Operating Procedures (SOP) ensuring that construction could safely take place through the COVID-19 pandemic, in total, 50,000 tonnes of material was extracted from the original pavement and 38,887 tonnes recycled over the course of just six weeks.
This included 11,607 tonnes of asphalt and 27,280 tonnes of foamix laid using wide pavers (extended to eight metres). Meanwhile, circa 20,000 tonnes will be reused on the A590 Cross-a-Moor Roundabout Scheme and the strategic road network (SRN).
Guy Edwards, CEO at Aggregate Industries UK, said: “As the world’s first building materials supplier to commit to hitting net zero emissions by 2050, completing the UK’s first carbon neutral pavement scheme is a landmark achievement for us and demonstrates our commitment to achieving this goal.
“By working collaboratively with Highways England, AE Yates and Amey on the A590 M6 J36 to Brettarg Holt scheme during the early contractor involvement stage, we were able to identify a low-carbon approach designed to provide significant environmental; and in turn, cost benefits, by establishing a best practice approach to greener road surfacing.
“Looking forward, as we continue to work more closely together as an industry and utilise our expanding range of eco-friendly products and services, we can start to make a real difference when helping to deliver essential infrastructure projects.”
A spokesperson for AE Yates added: “Combining the technical excellence and innovative technologies of AI and the industry leading project management and passion for collaboration of A E Yates has once again delivered a highly successful project. Completing this scheme is testament to what can be achieved through teamwork and collaboration!”
Aggregate Industries UK is a leading company in the construction and infrastructure industries. It produces and supplies a wide range of construction materials including aggregates, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete and precast concrete products. It also produces, imports and supplies cementitious materials and offers a national road surfacing and contracting service.
It prides itself on best practice in sustainability having become the first company to be certificated to BES 6001, The Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products, developed by the BRE (Building Research Establishment). Aggregate Industries UK is a proud member of the LafargeHolcim Group.
As the world’s global leader in building solutions, LafargeHolcim is reinventing how the world builds to make it greener and smarter for all. On its way to becoming a net zero company, LafargeHolcim offers global solutions such as ECOPact, enabling carbon-neutral construction. With its circular business model, the company is a global leader in recycling waste as a source of energy and raw materials through products like Susteno, its leading circular cement. Innovation and digitalization are at the core of the company’s strategy, with more than half of its R&D projects dedicated to greener solutions. LafargeHolcim’s 70,000 employees are committed to improving quality of life across more than 70 markets through its four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products.
Clarke Roofing Southern completes a mammoth reroof at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday
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Building Technologies Comprehensive Study by Type (Overall Plan, Exterior Design, Internal Structure Design, Other), Application (Civil Engineering, Heating and Sanitation, Gas Engineering, Elevator and Fire, Water Supply and Drainage), Building Type (Intelligent Security System, Building Energy Management System, Infrastructure Management, Network Management System), Technology (Building Energy 1 Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday
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The next stage of development of the Northbank neighbourhood at Peel L&P’s Wirral Waters is set to proceed following the selection of Eric Wright Civil Engineering (EWCE) as the main contractor for extensive public realm infrastructure.
The public realm works will support the delivery of the first stages of residential development at the Northbank Quarter at East Float, Wirral Waters, improving connectivity to local bus and rail services and making Northbank ‘investment ready’.
The works will see the construction of an ‘upper boardwalk’ pedestrian and cycleway link along the northern dock edge of East Float, creating an attractive waterside thoroughfare and providing the public with access to the dock edge for the first time in over a century.
A series of four contemporary squares are also planned, connecting the Dock Road pedestrian and cycleway public realm works to the dock edge, improving connectivity and enhancing the health and wellbeing of local people.
As part of the public realm works, students at the nearby Wirral Met Construction Campus will be given the opportunity to gain first-hand construction knowledge, with visits to the site and workshops with the project contractors. This is part of Peel L&P’s overall ambition to develop local construction skills and create the workforce of the future at Wirral Waters.
Local construction companies will also be given the opportunity to contribute to and deliver parts of the public realm works via the Wirral Construction Forum.
EWCE has also been appointed to extend a walking and cycling route that marks the boundary of the Northbank neighbourhood. This work will see construction of 590 metres of shared cycleway and footpath next to the A5139 Dock Road between East Float Apartments and Duke Street. As part of this extension, EWCE will also be undertaking additional landscaping as well as installing boundary fencing, new street lighting columns and digital infrastructure.
Commenting on the selection of EWCE for the Northbank public realm works, Richard Mawdsley, Director of Development at Wirral Waters, said:
“Northbank Quarter will be the first residential development at Wirral Waters and these public realm works are the first stage in creating a green, walkable, pleasant neighbourhood at the heart of Wirral’s traditional dockland area.”
“So, we are very pleased to have selected EWCE to undertake the public realm works at the Northbank Quarter at Wirral Waters. EWCE has extensive experience of delivering exceptional quality public realm infrastructure and we look forward to working with them.”
“It’s also great news that local construction students at Wirral Met will have the opportunity to see the works first-hand and speak to the contractors; giving them crucial experience and insight to prepare them for their careers in construction.”
Cllr Anita Leech, Chair of the Economy, Regeneration and Development Committee at Wirral Council, said:
“Sustainable and active travel is something that the Council will need to continuously build into our major projects and I am pleased that another major scheme is focusing on making active travel more accessible for residents.”
“Considering the environment must be a significant factor in highway and public realm projects as we work to provide an infrastructure more suitable for the future.”
Commenting on behalf of Eric Wright Civil Engineering, Managing Director Diane Bourne said:
“We are delighted to be involved in this transformational regeneration project constructing a sustainable transport network and high-quality green environment at Northbank, Wirral Waters.
“It is good to see the creation of a cycling and pedestrian network as an integrated part of the Wirral Waters development.”
Work will begin on site this month.
About Peel L&P – Realising possibility
We are an ambitious regeneration business with generations of history, heritage and expertise in our DNA. First established in 1972, Peel L&P is now responsible for some of the most transformational development projects in the UK.
Owning and managing 12 million sq ft of property and 20,000 acres of land and water, our holdings are concentrated in the north west of England, but we also own and manage significant assets throughout the UK with a total portfolio value of £2.6 billion.
As a part of the Peel Group; we are integral to a business that strives to make a positive impact on people’s lives.
Our legacy matters. We take great pride in the outcomes we achieve, the people we work with, the way we go about our business and the transformational projects we deliver.
Our specialist teams have a proven track record in delivering high-quality, legacy projects across land, property, water and airspace. This includes airports, hotels, waterways, media hubs, event spaces, leisure facilities, retail, workspaces, residential development, industrial & logistical space, public realm, historic gardens and the renewable energy sector. We also believe a prosperous future depends on our ability to harness nature to create sustainable growth.
We reuse, repurpose and re-energise natural resources to develop and maintain vital infrastructure across the UK. From wind power, to waterways, to waste-to-fuel solutions, we own and operate assets, manage resources and develop energy solutions to serve our communities and our partners.
Through market-leading solutions, we support government and local authorities to reach their carbon reduction and waste management targets. We help businesses to achieve their commercial goals while managing the transition towards net-zero carbon. We engage local communities and support them in their ambition to thrive by re-energising regional economies.
Peel L&P is an agile and ambitious business with a legacy of success for a long-term, sustainable future.
We see possibility. We deliver transformation.
For more information visit: www.peellandp.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @PeelLandP
About Wirral Waters
Wirral Waters is a 500-acre site comprising former dockland which Peel inherited following the acquisition of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company in 2005.
Peel has launched a 30-year strategy which will see Wirral Waters become one of the largest regeneration projects in the UK.
It will transform the derelict site into a sustainable location for local and international businesses, creating more than 20,000 permanent jobs for the Liverpool City Region, as well as offering new housing opportunities.
The Wirral Waters project is supported by central government and was designated Enterprise Zone status in 2011 – one of the first four Enterprise Zones in the UK and known as the Mersey Waters Enterprise Zone.
Three types of Kawneer’s curtain wall feature on the Atlas’ commercial element. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday
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The effect of COVID-19 on the roofing market has been significant, with an estimated 20% decline in market value in 2020. Since 2015, demand for roof coverings has been supported by strong growth in housebuilding and domestic RMI, along with increased output in a number of commercial and industrial new build & refurbishment markets.
Growth in the overall market for roof covering reached c. £1.1bn in 2019. Key areas for this growth came from housing, office, schools and leisure. However, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the industry.
In the public sector, capital budgets remain tight, but spending on construction in sectors such as health and education had been increasing before the pandemic, and which are forecast to pick up again post-COVID, thus offering opportunities to suppliers and contractors, particularly in the flat roofing sector.
The chronic undersupply of new homes that we have seen in recent years will ensure that the demand for new housing will continue to be high. This will inevitably drive up demand for both tiles and flat roof membranes. However, the chronic shortage of roofers, and other ‘wet’ trades, could get worse following the UK’s exit from the EU.
The ongoing shortage of skilled roofers in the industry has resulted in product developments that enable easier installation while requiring less skilled labour. The extent of the roofing skills shortage suggests that easier to install products, such as interlocking concrete roof tiles, will continue to grow in popularity.
Accelerating growth in online shopping continues to drive up demand for online distribution centres. These are typically very large structures with expansive roof areas, typically finished with single ply membranes or profiled metal sheets. Another growth application is that of waste treatment & recycling and energy recovery facilities. There are a large number of these in the 2021 development pipeline.
The start of 2021 still sees the UK in the holds of the Covid-19 pandemic with Lockdown 3 currently upon us. With the construction sector as a whole remaining open and many of the previous implementations still in place means that many distributors and retailers are still open, we are forecasting a slight recovery in demand for roofing products, with moderate annual increases of 4-6% thereafter. Reflecting some improvement in confidence and the economy, with market value forecast to be return to c.£1bn by 2024.
About AMA Research
AMA Research is a leading provider of market research and consultancy services with over 30 years’ experience within the construction and home improvement markets. For more information, go to www.amaresearch.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @AMAResearch for all the latest building and construction market news.
Since 2017, AMA Research has been part of Barbour ABI, a leading provider of construction intelligence services. Barbour ABI is part of UBM, which in June 2018 combined with Informa PLC to become a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organiser in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information, visit www.ubm.com and www.informa.com.
A new look has been unveiled for a Newcastle former office block as scaffolding is removed by Kapex Construction.
Eldon House at Gosforth’s Regent Centre is undergoing a £5.37million transformation to redevelop the former vacant office building into 66 luxury apartments. Construction work is three months ahead of schedule and is due to complete in early 2021.
Kapex Construction, part of Newcastle-based Morton Group, was appointed by Regent Centre owners Omnia Property Group to deliver its 2nd phase of its residential scheme, with Broadfield Project Management acting as client representative.
Construction work started on the Eldon House development, which will create a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments over 8 floors, in March 2020. The extensive redevelopment project was originally due to complete in Spring 2021 but despite lockdown it is scheduled for completion in early 2021.
Work on the scheme involves the complete removal of the existing façade, new cladding of the existing structure, along with thermal upgrades, a complete new MEP installation and internal fit out.
It will be the second ‘office to residential’ conversion at the Regent Centre – the first being Northumbria House – and will be available to rent through Omnia Space. The area is known to be popular with students and employees based within the business park.
Gary Morton, CEO of The Morton Group, said: “It’s fantastic to see the scaffolding come down on Eldon House and I hope people are pleased with the transformation so far. Work will continue on the development and we’re pleased to be able to deliver this office to residential development three months ahead of schedule.
“Our track record in converting concrete frame office blocks into sleek, high quality living spaces is second to none, and we have drawn on our experience gained through the conversion of Eagle Star House into Regents Plaza apartments just 300 metres away.”
Dave Lovatt, Commercial Director at Kapex Construction, said: “It’s exciting to see the progress starting to take shape at Eldon House, which will breathe new life into the 1970s office building and provide much needed housing in a highly sought after residential location.
“In the past, Eldon House has been home to tenants such as Rolls Royce so it’s exciting to prepare the building for a fresh wave of tenants who will benefit from the close proximity to Gosforth High Street and bus and Metro transport links into Newcastle. It will be a thriving space tailored to modern, active lifestyles.”
About The Morton Group
The Morton Group is a wholly-owned family business specialising in property development, construction, residential home development and sales as well as the ownership and operation of successful leisure accommodation and facilities business.
Established in 2016 and based in Newcastle, Morton Group’s unique vision and approach means they bring together their expertise, push the boundaries and deliver exceptional returns for their investors.
Consisting of Lok Developments, Kapex Construction and Regents Gate Homes, Morton Group is behind several exciting new developments across the North East and the UK. These include Regents Plaza and Sycamore Square in Gosforth, All Saints Church in Newcastle and Six Hills in Stevenage.
Leading construction materials supplier Aggregate Industries has appointed Andy Swinnerton as the new Managing Director of the firm’s Aggregates division.
Andy will now join the Aggregate Industries’ Executive Committee and will be responsible for spearheading growth of the Aggregates business unit.
Andy has more than 30 years of experience in the extractive industries. He joined Aggregate Industries in 2016 as a Director Business Excellence bringing with him a strong background of leading businesses, whilst focusing on customer centricity and improving sustainability standards, which saw him improve our operational efficiency activities with a focus on improving customer service.
Andy will report directly into Guy Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of Aggregate Industries.
Commenting on his appointment, Andy Swinnerton said: “I’m delighted to be named as the new Managing Director of Aggregate Industries Aggregates business and look forward to making my mark as the newest Executive Committee member. Despite the challenging times facing the industry, I’m really proud of the great work this excellent team has delivered during the pandemic and can’t wait to continue to not only meet, but exceed customer service and expectations.”
Guy Edwards, Chief Executive Officer added: “I’d like to congratulate Andy on his new position and look forward to working alongside him on the Executive Committee. Andy has brought an excellent contribution to the organisation during a very challenging year. I have no doubt that he’ll help to further grow our Aggregates business and continue to supply products and services to our customers with excellence.”
About Aggregate Industries UK
Aggregate Industries UK is a leading company in the construction and infrastructure industries. It produces and supplies a wide range of construction materials including aggregates, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete and precast concrete products. It also produces, imports and supplies cementitious materials and offers a national road surfacing and contracting service.
It prides itself on best practice in sustainability having become the first company to be certificated to BES 6001, The Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products, developed by the BRE (Building Research Establishment). Aggregate Industries UK is a proud member of the LafargeHolcim Group.
As the world’s global leader in building solutions, LafargeHolcim is reinventing how the world builds to make it greener and smarter for all. On its way to becoming a net zero company, LafargeHolcim offers global solutions such as ECOPact, enabling carbon-neutral construction. With its circular business model, the company is a global leader in recycling waste as a source of energy and raw materials through products like Susteno, its leading circular cement. Innovation and digitalization are at the core of the company’s strategy, with more than half of its R&D projects dedicated to greener solutions. LafargeHolcim’s 70,000 employees are committed to improving quality of life across more than 70 markets through its four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products.
Lafarge Cement is a major manufacturer of cement, GGBS, fly ash and specialist cementitious materials to the UK construction industry. Its long established cement plants in Cauldon, Staffordshire and Cookstown, County Tyrone employ around 250 people and manufacture over 1.4Mt of cement each year.
Lafarge Cement is part of the LafargeHolcim group and joined Aggregate Industries UK Ltd on 20th July 2015. Aggregate Industries quarries, manufactures and supplies a wide range of heavy building materials to the construction industry and with the cement business now offers a complete solution.
Manchester-based heating and plumbing company recognised for outstanding performance and quality
MCR Gas, a leading Manchester heating and plumbing services provider, won the Best in Class Start-Up Business Award during the annual Made in Bury awards ceremony in late November. For eight years, The Made in Bury Business Awards have championed local Bury businesses and celebrated their outstanding achievements. The awards feature 20 business categories covering all professional business sectors.
“The whole team at MCR Gas is extremely humbled and honored by this important recognition,” said Ryan Greenwood, MCR Gas CEO and Founder. “For years, we’ve consistently provided the highest level of service for our customers, going above and beyond what was offered on the market. We would like to thank the judges for recognising our effort and choosing MCR Gas as the Best in Class Start-Up Business.”
A family-run business with 35 years of experience, MCR Gas specialises in plumbing and heating for both domestic and commercial properties. Working locally in the Bury, Greater Manchester and northwest England region, MCR Gas engineers are Gas Safe registered. The company provides a range of services and are also qualified to issue safety certificates for commercial operations and landlords.
“After years spent working for British Gas, I realised I had to start a business that was different, first of all, in its level of customer service, personalisation and quality,” continued Ryan. “From day one, MCR Gas has provided an excellent customer experience compared to other companies in the market, going above and beyond expectations. Our service works 365 days a year, offering an unparalleled level of flexibility and quality to our customers.”
The numbers speak for themselves. In the two years since its founding in 2018, MCR Gas has seen an impressive 570 percent increase in profits. One of its most in-demand services is boiler care plans, known as their comfort club, which help detect early signs of serious issues in heating, gas, and water systems, ensuring the work can be planned in advance and scheduled at the customer’s convenience.
This award came at the end of a turbulent year in which MCR Gas introduced innovative solutions to its customers to maintain the highest quality of service while adhering to COVID-19 safety measures. The company also took the altruistic step of supporting National Health Service (NHS) staff working at the forefront of the pandemic. During lockdown, MCR Gas offered free servicing to any NHS staff experiencing boiler issues. To further show their support for the community, the MCR Gas team worked alongside other trades people from across the city to help transform the Gmex Centre in Manchester into a crisis NHS Nightingale hospital in just seven days. MCR Gas ran new gas mains into the building and installed large commercial burners in the hospital. This new hospital is one of the key health centers providing medical care during the pandemic.
Going into 2021, MCR Gas looks forward to growing its business even further while still providing the highest standard of customer care and service.
