Building trade 'shortfall' fear

Building construction applications are way below target figures

An extra 18,000 workers are needed by the construction industry in Northern Ireland within six years in order to complete £76bn of building work, the industry's leading body has said.

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) revealed the figures as a major advertising drive was launched to encourage school leavers to consider a career in building.

The CITB said an average of 2,990 construction workers are being recruited in the province each year.

However, that figure needs to rise to 17,940 by 2010 in order to meet current government building plans.

Such plans include building two housing developments in Newry and Cookstown, two gas pipelines in Belfast and Derry and a windfarm in Drumquin.

We're looking for everything from craft to graduate levels Fiona Kane CITB

The CITB said the occupations most in demand are carpenters, joiners, general labourers and plant operators.

Fiona Kane from the CITB said young people could avoid the financial difficulties of university life by going straight into the workplace.

"We're looking for everything from craft to graduate levels, we're looking for carpenters and joiners, general operatives and plant operatives particularly," she said.

"We're also looking for managers and graduates as well.

"If you are thinking about a career in university and you are worried about the burden of debt, coming in to the construction industry either at craft level or graduate level you can earn and learn at the same time."

Figures revealed on Monday also show up to 430,000 employees are required by 2010 to keep pace with Britain's spiralling building demands.

Applications for vocational degrees and construction courses have risen overall but are way below target.

CITB wants employers to support the recruitment drive by offering more starter jobs to school leavers and graduates and to invest in long-term training of their staff to keep skills within the UK industry.