Urgent action is needed to tackle the growing skills shortage in the construction industry, according to union UCATT.

New figures from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) forecast the number of new entrants needed in the industry every year between 2016-20 is 46,400.

However, the most recent data from the Department of Business Innovation and Skills shows that 24,850 people are currently undergoing construction training.

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It is understood this gap could be greater due to not all entrants completing their training, or choosing a different career path.

Brian Rye, Acting General Secretary of UCATT, said: "The CITB's forecast demonstrates that construction is facing a skills crisis. The industry must stop acting like an ostrich and accept it needs major reforms to produce the fully trained workforce it requires."

Mr Rye has now urged the Government to introduce new procurement rules making it a requirement on anyone bidding for work to train apprentices.

"If the Government is at all serious about tackling the skills crisis then it must intervene and force the industry to train the workforce of tomorrow," he added.

(LM/CD)