The Brickonomics blog on contract journal makes for grim reading.
The figure being bandied about most at the moment is 48,000: the number of (construction) redundancies in the last 3 months. The most depressing thing about it is that number probably falls short of a true refelection of the industry. Brian Green makes the point that it doesn't include the huge number of self-employed who have now found themselves short of work.
I've got an ex-colleague who falls into that camp. Not sure how he'd feel about his situation being discounted from official statistics. What's the point in downplaying things?
Groucho:Green makes the point that it doesn't include the huge number of self-employed who have now found themselves short of work.
Not to mention the black economy...
And a lot lot worse its going to become....problem being, all of us 'Builders' once worked in an industry that was run by Builders, Men who were committed to 'Build Quality' 'Customer Satisfaction' 'Pride in the job' etc etc etc but now, this industry is being run by total frauds, not building men, but patently ill-advised and mistallented frauds, self acclaimed experts i.e. ex accountants from broken airline organisations, ex stakeholders appearing from whatever it is that they have destroyed prior to picking on the Construction industry and ...perhaps the biggest point 'Greed' - big-time Greedy Shiny suited, untallented idiots who would be completely unable without at least 10 days at night school, to be able to knock a nail in....errr, what's a nail? but instead, they have chosen to pick an industry that might perhaps, give them an easy ride - sod off I say.
I rest my case - This Construction Industry is most certainly doomed to failure, and all because the industry has allowed these idiots free access - where are they now? are they fighting for the industry, of course they're not, they are home watching the jeremy 'whatever-his-untallented-name is' show, whilst counting their money!
My advice to those ridiculous recruitment agencies is - advise your clients - "never you mind if I'm good enough...are you good enough to employ me?
Regards
MVM
As well as the self-employed (and black economy) comprising people who classify themselves as construction workers, there will also be a host of people from supporting occupations: administration, accounts, IT, sales and marketing, etc, etc who will also be looking for jobs.
(I recall reading about such staff at Pettifer Construction walking out with computers, printers, etc as they weren't being paid after the business went into administration late last year).
These support staff won't necessarily be counted as casualties of the construction downturn but will, in many cases, have valuable experience and expertise that is industry-specific.
Yes, a lot of those types of workers in the merchants, where there's been a lot of pain.
EEPaul:there will also be a host of people from supporting occupations: administration, accounts, IT, sales and marketing, etc, etc who will also be looking for jobs.
Good point EEPaul.
There has long been a skills shortage within construction. Attracting newbies to the industry has not been easy, and is made all the more difficult during the downturn. But when the upturn eventually arrives, not only will we have failed to recruit the necessary numbers - 80,000 a year for 5 years according to CITB back in 2005 - the current increasing rate of redundancies means the skills gap will be enormous.
I'm concerned it will be too big to fill effectively, quickly enough. The construction industry has no choice but to weather this economical storm. It's going to take hits - now it's all about damage limitation.
Over 1200 managers and directors in construction, and I would add, the majority or which are, or were, working for large companies employing more than 500 people, took part in a CIOB research ‘question and answers’ study.
Alan Mac:Yes, a lot of those types of workers in the merchants, where there's been a lot of pain.
Indeed Alan, the local BM's around here have been cutting staff at an alarming rate. Delivery wagons aren't being used, they are just parked up, it's not looking good at all.
Ok, so perhaps we need to start a new thread entitled "Recovery Plans" although keeping it all in here might be advisable?
I asked a former cabinet member (Thatcher years) what has happened to cause this?
“Global coupling caused by accumulation of power, assets and conventional wisdom by a few power players who have screwed up big-time because they all copied each other and lost trillions from productive enterprise – hence the need for banks to lend big-time and confidence/money flows to be started up again by stimulus...
But it is more difficult than that because of those big players who still own all the assets and now subscribe to the new conventional wisdom...”
Whilst I might agree with some of that, the questions that I would like to be answered would be perhaps be more related to how the industry used to be i.e. competition between smaller Building companies in leiu of a few huge organisations who are barely alive today but in serious debt?
The question of 'Land Banks' - i.e companies like Tesco, Berkley and all of those that have been sitting on prime land areas for years?
Shutting down schools to build houses??
NIMBY - now there's a question?
Ideas and thoughts please?