UK: Panels manufacturer says construction is short on skills, not demand

Wood-based panels manufacturer MEDITE SMARTPLY has called for deeper collaboration to solve the UK construction industry skills crisis, warning that recruitment drives on their own are not enough. The company says the situation demands sustained investment in education, hands-on learning and real-world exposure to modern timber technologies. Its appeal comes against a background of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) identifying that between 2025 and 2029, the construction industry will need to recruit an estimated 239,300 additional workers – the equivalent of almost 48,000 extra people every year. Ireland-based MEDITE SMARTPLY, which ...