Builders look to old and young to will in gaps from foreign workers after Brexit

The construction industry may have to entice older employees not to retire as foreign labour dries up after Brexit, an industry body has said.

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) said its members must attract new talent through more apprenticeships and welcoming under-represented groups.

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But it will also need to support workers on the edge of retirement to keep them in the industry.

The group cited figures showing that nearly 170,000 jobs will be created in the sector over the next five years, while the number of foreign workers looks set to fall.

Policy director Steve Radley said: “Construction needs a twin-track strategy, increasing investment in the domestic workforce and working with government to agree how we can maintain access to migrant workers to give it the breathing space to adapt to changing rules.”

One in seven UK construction workers is not born in the country, while nine per cent are from the EU, the CITB said. Meanwhile half of all those working in London are foreign born.

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With Brexit day rapidly approaching employers are finding it tough to hire good staff, the group said.

“Recruitment is already very difficult for some key roles and this will be exacerbated once migration from the EU is reduced post-Brexit,” he said.