Work Matters


Construction and the Built Environment

Key facts about his sector

The sector accounts for 7 per cent of total employment in the UK - that's over two million people.

House building has recently slowed a lot. Infrastructure and public works (road widening, rail network projects, flood defences, Olympics 2012) might help support the construction industry for the next 5-10 years. Government funding for some projects has recently been cut.

Total employment in construction is expected to grow modestly by 175 thousand workers by 2017.

Skilled trades are expected to see a slow decline in their share of total jobs by 2017. Increases are expected in managerial, professional and technical jobs.

34 per cent of the UK workforce is qualified to level 3* or above. (*A level, Advanced Diploma, Advanced Apprenticeship, International Baccalaureate, BTEC National Diploma.)

In the future there will be a demand for project, communications, people and financial management skills.

Self-employment accounts for about 40 per cent of total employment in construction.

Over 90 per cent of construction companies employ fewer than 10 people.

The construction industry is very male dominated. Females account for barely 1 in 10 of all jobs.

There are approximately 45,500 architects in the UK. The public sector employs less than 10 per cent of architects. Freelance and contract work is increasing. There are increasing employment opportunities with housing associations, house builders and private developers.

There are about 15,700 town planners and 15,500 architectural and town planning technical occupations in the UK. Most are employed in local government.

There are about 103,000 quantity and chartered surveyors employed in the UK. There are opportunities in local government, with construction and civil engineering contractors and housing associations.

There are several construction projects in the West of England that are proposed or underway. Recent cuts in government funding might affect some of them.

Bath and North East Somerset

  • Keynsham regeneration
  • SouthGate development
  • Western Riverside regeneration

Bristol

  • Avonmouth Port deep sea container terminal construction
  • Avonmouth Energy from Waste Plant
  • Bristol City Football Club new stadium
  • Bristol Harbourside regeneration
  • Hengrove Park redevelopment
  • Redcliffe redevelopment
  • Southmead Hospital development
  • Temple Meads Railway Station redevelopment
  • Temple Quarter regeneration

North Somerset

  • Bristol Airport expansion
  • Clevedon business park development
  • Locking Parkland redevelopment
  • Portishead regeneration
  • Royal Portbury Dock Renewable Energy Plant
  • Weston Airfield redevelopment
  • Weston-super-Mare regeneration

South Gloucestershire

  • Aztec West Business Park expansion
  • East Works Site redevelopment
  • Filton Northfield development
  • Bristol and Bath Science Park (Spark) development.

How much could I earn?

Figures are for those, 18 and over, working full-time in the UK. With training and career development, higher salaries can be achieved.

Position
Annual salary
Construction managers £37,437
Architects
Town planners
Quantity surveyors
Chartered surveyors
£32,835
Building and civil engineering technicians
Architectural technologists and town planning technicians
Draughtspersons
Building inspector
£26,547
Skilled constructions trades:
Steel erectors
Bricklayers
Roofers, roof tilers and slaters
Plumbers, heating and ventilating engineers
Carpenters and joiners
Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters
Plasterers
Floorers and wall tillers
Painters and decorators
£23,201
Scaffolders
Road construction operatives
Rail construction and maintenance operatives
£20,836
Labourers in building and woodworking trades £17,070

The salaries shown are annual, median, gross pay rates. Gross means before tax and other deductions. The median figure is the middle salary in the range of what all people in that category of job earn.

Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2009, O.N.S., © Crown Copyright.

Numbers employed in the West of England

Many people choose to commute (regularly travelling between home and work) to get the job they want. This will show you where most of the jobs in this sector are in the region.

Bath and North East Somerset 4,525
Bristol 11,191
North Somerset 14,295
South Gloucestershire 11,412

Annual Business Inquiry Employee Analysis 2009, O.N.S., © Crown Copyright.

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