Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has issued a call to arms to the nation’s former servicemen and women to consider new careers building the nation’s homes.
Housebuilding levels are now more than double those seen in 2009 – meaning developers need more skilled workers than ever.
Mr Lewis argued that men and women who have served our country in our armed forces are well-equipped with the skills that the industry needs – such as opportunities in construction, civil engineering and the built environment sector.
He said that anyone looking to make a return to ‘Civvy Street’ could carve out a successful career in construction – with an industry ready and willing to take them on.
The housebuilding industry was devastated by the 2008 economic crash, leading to the loss of a quarter of a million construction jobs, so the government has now placed housebuilding at the heart of its long-term economic plan.
Brandon Lewis recently attended a BuildForce construction industry awareness event at RRC Northolt, and spoke to Service leavers who are looking to start new careers in the sector.
He told attendees that now is one of the best times to build a career in the construction industry.
Mr Lewis said:
“Our efforts have got Britain building with starts at their highest annual level for nearly 6 years, creating thousands of jobs across the country."
The brave men and women in uniform who have served their country in our armed forces should be at the front of the queue for skilled construction careers when they return to Civvy Street.”
Steve Radley, Director of Policy at Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), said:
“BuildForce helps ex-servicemen and women take the skills they’ve learned in the forces into construction, where they can build the hundreds of thousands of new homes Britain needs.
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The construction sector needs over 200,000 talented new workers in the next 5 years, and there are rewarding careers available for people of every background and experience.
Click here to find out more about the BuildForce programme and check out RightJob to view hundreds of vacancies in the construction sector, from employers specifically seeking the skills and experience Service leavers have to offer.
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