The CIOB has told a group of MPs and experts that more effort needs to go into retaining ageing workers to help prevent a shortage of skilled workers post-Brexit.
The Institute is among a number of organisations giving evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in Built Environment investigating the impact of Brexit on future skills needs in construction.
One of the key issues in the referendum vote last year was the free movement of people. This is of particular significance given the reliance of construction on workers from the EU both at a trades and professional level, and at a time when construction is already facing a chronic skills shortage.
Among the policy recommendations the CIOB included in its written evidence to the APPG in November was the need to put greater emphasis on mentoring and pastoral care if it wished to attract and retain young adults into the sector.
The issue of older workers was also highlighted. The CIOB said that construction firms and the industry as a whole needed to take urgent action to avoid its demographic bulge in older workers tipping rapidly into retirement over the next five to 10 years.
