While the latest ONS figures show that job vacancies grew in the first quarter of this year, recent data indicates that building and construction vacancies are beginning to slow, with figures dropping 56% between March and April 2022. With application numbers also continuing to decline, these statistics suggest that the lack of resources across the UK is impacting job growth across the sector. That’s according to the latest data from the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology.

According to the statistics, the building and construction sector saw an even more concerning fall in in the number of people applying for roles, with decreases of 75% between March and April, and 76% when comparing April 2022 with the same month last year. While this is cause for concern, it’s perhaps unsurprising given the widely documented skills shortages reported in the sector.

Alex Fourlis, Managing Director At Broadbean Technology Commented:

“The UK’s skills crisis is continuing to be a focal issue for the building and construction sector, and for good reason given that applications are dropping at a concerning rate. With a combination of Brexit and Covid accelerating our need for talent in the sector, vacancies have been on a constant upwards trajectory up until now, but there are simply not enough candidates to match this demand. Given the dearth of available resources, there’s a high chance that this drop in new vacancies is simply a sign that businesses cannot fill jobs they’ve had open for some time and are unlikely to add any more roles if they cannot meet the current operational needs.”

“For employers, now is a critical time. Businesses need to rebuild and nurture dwindling talent pools, utilise innovative technology and maximise partnerships with external talent suppliers in order to find the resources that are needed. Difficult times are ahead for the UK economy, and we need a recruitment market that can best support economic growth.”