The construction industry is one of the largest in the UK and is responsible for around 3 million jobs across the country. Typically, construction trades are particularly sensitive to economic fluctuations but despite the recession of 2008, still contributes around £90 billion to the the UK market. The construction and engineering sectors are continuing to recover from the economic downturn and recruitment of staff is expected to increase by around 7% over the next few years. The sector concerns itself with building work, civil engineering and can even be as broad as HR, manufacturing and sales.
The industry is supported by a range of construction recruitment agencies aiming to provide clients with effective staffing solutions by supplying the most capable candidates to fill permanent or temporary vacancies. These could be in roles ranging from project manager to rail engineer. With the expected increase, admin and secretarial recruitment agencies are also expecting to see requirements for more office based and clerical staff.
Construction and engineering work is generally labour intensive and personnel are expected to have a certain level of physical fitness. Job titles can vary from high paying management positions such as a design or planning manager to more manual labour jobs like bricklayer and plumber. In the UK, those at the high end of the scale can earn a salary of anything to up £80K, with the average generally being in excess of £30K.
The most common route into the construction and engineering sectors is non-graduate with many jobs being considered low skilled. More technical and administrative work such as a maintenance engineer will require a degree level or higher qualification. Most trades have associated NVQ qualifications ranging from level 3 to level 7 whereas the NEBOSH qualification in health and safety is also recommended.
Work in the construction industry can mean long and infrequent hours, often focusing on more than one project, so candidates have to be flexible and adaptable. Staff are also expected to work under labour intensive exhaustive conditions while also working as part of a team.
The largest construction employers in the UK are currently Balfour Beatty, Carillion and Laing O'Rourke although majority of businesses are small to medium sized firms and vacancies are fairly easy to come by. Despite the high level of recruitment, many believe that that the best way into the field of construction and engineering is to become self employed.
Kingsmen Recruitment, headquartered in London, puts forward construction labourers across the civil, infrastructure, commercial, residential and security industries. Talent they connect with includes traffic marshalls, operatives, drivers, security guards and carpenters. For some roles, they require licences from institutions like the Security Industry Authority. They hold Constructionline Gold and Safety Schemes in Procurement accreditations.
66 Cottall Avenue, Chatham, Kent, ME4 6HH
Adecco provides support to candidates and employers on a temporary, permanent or contract basis; they recruit for a multitude of roles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Office 19, Basepoint Business Centre, Industrial Estate, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3FG
Founded in 2015, The Resolute Group specialises in the following market sectors: Utilities, Construction, IT & Digital, Civil Engineering, Engineering, Business Operations, Rail/Rolling Stock, and Transportation. They also offer other services like contingency assignments, executive search & selection, volume and project campaigns, and headhunting services. The agency is based in Derby.
Storefirst Business Centre, Riverside Road, Pride Park, Derby, Derbyshire, DE24 8HY
ASA Recruitment is a multi-sector recruitment company for 17 industries which include Engineering, Hospitality & Catering and IT. They handle different kinds of requirements such as permanent, contract and temporary placements, contingency staff, high quantity personnel, and hourly worker needs. They started in 1970 and have teams in Glasgow, Edinburgh and more.
60 Union Street, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, AB10 1BB
There is a wealth of opportunity on offer in the Building Industry - and candidates know that. A quality recruitment agency like Connect Appointments can ensure that the best people are secured by your organisation - which will pay dividends over the long term. From Builders to Instrument Technicians, by using our tried and trusted methods, we can ensure that your recruitment process has a solid foundation. Offices in Glasgow and Livingston.
Houston Road, Houston Industrial Estate, Livingston, Scotland, EH54 5FD
A Company built on foundations of Traditional Ethics but with a Modern View. Xceed Recruitment is a leading Multi-Sector Organisation supplying both temporary and permanent recruitment solutions nationwide. We understand that the modern workplace has evolved significantly over the past decade, Meaning our clients needs and requirements from us have also changed. We greet every role with a flexible attitude to create the perfect bespoke solution.
1ST Floor, Meadowbank House, Oldham, Lancashire, OL9 8EH
Tudor Employment Agency was founded in 1989 and provides permanent and temporary staff for the Commercial, Industrial and Technical sectors. Assisting both clients and candidates, they focus on placements in Black Country, Staffordshire and Shropshire and offer 24/7 service availability.
Suite 12, Telford Space Centre, Halesfield 8, Halesfield Business Park, Telford, Shropshire, TF7 4QN