Construction companies fear a shortage of qualified workers

Prague - Three-quarters of construction companies are concerned that they will be limited in the future by a lack of qualified employees. Already next year, 42 percent of companies plan to hire new employees. More than one-third of construction firms are also struggling with a shortage of graduates. This arises from an analysis by CEEC Research, which ČTK has at its disposal.

The entire construction sector fears a shortage of qualified personnel regardless of the size or focus of the company. "The current system of vocational and, in particular, apprenticeship education is the main cause of this situation," said Miroslav Lukšík, the director of Ground Construction in Zlín. According to Pavel Kliment of KPMG, a significant part of Czech construction already relies on foreign workers, and their share is also increasing among manufacturers of construction materials.

In September this year, the growth of construction output in the Czech Republic slowed, with a year-on-year increase of 2.4% following a 4.7% growth in August. It was driven by engineering constructions, which compensated for the drop in ground construction. The number of building permits issued increased, and more apartments were started and completed than a year ago.

In engineering construction, the volume of contracts is increasing, and companies will need to look for new people. 45% of large companies are planning hiring, and medium and small firms are planning to expand their work teams in 41% of cases. Most of them will seek workers in manual professions next year, more than a quarter need new technicians, and every tenth company is also planning to expand mid-level and higher management.

"Companies are trying to cover the current increase in workload with current capacities and by increasing overtime hours. However, this is often insufficient, and therefore some companies have already started hiring new workers, especially in manual professions. Conversely, construction firms are trying to further minimize administrative positions," said Jiří Vacek, the director of CEEC Research.

39% of construction firms complain about a lack of graduates, and among large companies, this figure is as high as 52%. "Unfortunately, there is a significant difference between a trained and merely inducted worker. We lack essential qualified workers such as trained masons, plumbers, tile setters, roofers, installers, carpenters, and other necessary workers," said František Eštván, the economic director of PŘEMYSL VESELÝ construction and engineering activities.

Construction company directors see the biggest problem as a lack of interest among young people in technical professions; they also cite the lack of a coherent state approach to education as another reason. Representatives of large companies often believe that the biggest issue is the poor image of construction in society.

Moreover, the recent economic crisis has severely impacted the construction industry. Builders lost 443 billion crowns from 2008 to 2013, which is the industry's turnover for one year. This has significantly affected employment in the sector. According to the Czech Statistical Office, last year the number of employees in companies with 50 or more employees decreased by 4.8% year-on-year. More than 50,000 people lost their jobs in construction due to the crisis.