Manchester Conference Centre

The end of the first quarter has tied in nicely with our recent trip to the Northern Build Expo, at Manchester’s Conference Centre. This was an excellent opportunity for us to network with both new and old contacts, and listen to our industry leaders discuss the most current and pertinent issues we are facing in Construction.

One of the biggest concerns at the Expo was with regards to the “Skills Shortage” in the industry, and how we are to attract talented individuals by overcoming the predisposing view that the construction industry isn’t a “sexy business” to work in. Interestingly, when discussing these attractions with the next generations in mind, there seems to be an attitude that our schools seemingly ignore the career and financial opportunities that the construction industry has to offer. So who’s to blame is the big question and how do we resolve it? Would it be the teachers in our schools? The parents of the next generation? The government? Or even the construction industry leaders who are maybe not doing enough to promote the industry from within?

Indeed, what we do know from a recruitment point of view is that we will struggle to an almost impossible stalemate with certain positions moving forwards; your General/Finishing Foreman being a prime example, as companies are relying so heavily now on the apprenticeship and graduate schemes from University leavers. Will our positions which rely so heavily on having a trade background begin to trail away, and will we see an increased gulf in skills shortages if we can’t increase the recruitment at the very base level?

We also recgnise the need to combat the stereotyping nature that our industry still holds. We, in recruitment, can certainly help with this and we look to try to educate and encourage our clients when it comes to equal opportunities. On a wider note, we also see a reluctance to engage with our ex-servicemen and women who have turned to the construction industry following their Forces careeer. Whilst these individuals may not be from a typical construction background, these individuals possess unrivalled skills in leadership, teamwork and communication, all of which are vital to successfully run construction projects and companies.

It’s evident that in some parts of the industry that there is still a stigma with stereotyping and we feel it is our responsibility within recruitment to challenge these differences and ensure we represent a fair and unbiased network of candidates. With this attitude, Brown & Wills hopes to maintain our reputation as market leaders within recruitment for our clients and candidate network alike.

Certainly, Brown & Wills will be looking forward to attending the 2017 North Build Expo to see how things are progressing…!

I recently had dealings with Brown & Wills Recruitment as I was in the unfortunate position of having been made redundant from my previous employer. Very quickly, they understood my circumstances and strengths and was able to match me with a client who was an ideal fit, and the perfect next step in my career. Within a few weeks I had been offered a Permanent position which I gladly accepted; Brown and Wills negotiated and guided me through the process and kept me up to date with all developments throughout. I would highly recommend Brown and Wills for anyone wanting to discuss their careers and a potential move.

James Leighton, Senior Site Manager, Mace Retail

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