Nathan Priestley discusses industry skills shortage with the Yorkshire Post

It’s no secret that there is a shortage of construction workers across the UK – something that’s becoming an increasing concern for the sector as Brexit plans come to fruition.

Our chief executive officer, Nathan Priestley, has recognised the importance of facing – and addressing – the issue head on. He believes that attracting greater talent to the sector and focusing on improving higher education construction courses are the key to future success.

With this in mind, Nathan happily shared his expertise with the Yorkshire Post.

He said: “With government targets to build an additional 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s, the Chartered Institute of Building recently reported that 170,000 new recruits are needed by 2021 to keep up with demand. If the sector doesn’t respond proactively, it risks fuelling a perfect storm that will limit our construction outputs even further.

“We need to change our approach to higher education if we are to attract the best talent. We need a new generation of site and contract managers who have the knowledge, practical skills and autonomy to get things done.”

Having previously worked with the University of Bradford and Bradford College students, the Priestley Group is thrilled to be helping the next generation of construction talent.

You can read the full story here.

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