Specialist Contractors continue to enjoy improved trading conditions according to the latest National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) State of Trade Survey, which shows an increase in orders for a fourth successive quarter.

The recent seasonal trend of a decline in orders in the third quarter did not materialise this year with the balance of orders, the difference between respondents reporting an increase in those reporting a decrease, reaching its highest level since 2006.

This has left Specialist Contractors with a skills gap which CITB highlighted in a report earlier this year. 21% of respondents reported finding it more difficult to recruit skilled labour this quarter, with those finding it less difficult plummeting to just 3%.

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68% attributed the difficulty to the low number of applicants with the necessary skills and 50% to a lack of experience. The number of Specialist Contractors unable to bid for work due to skills shortages reached 13%, the highest level since 2007.

The issue has clearly been recognised with 39% of Specialist Contractors expecting to take on at least one apprentice over the next 12 months and two-thirds of those looking to recruit two or more apprentices. NSCC is committed to facilitating apprenticeships in the specialist sector and is leading the action within the Industrial Strategy: Construction 2025 to provide a high level statement setting out the industry’s commitment to having young people working on sites. NSCC has also recently taken on its own apprentice who is undertaking a Level 3 NVQ in Business and Administration and will provide support to the NSCC team across a variety of projects and activities.

(CD/IT)