Sustainability is thankfully becoming more forefront when businesses are setting out their objectives or their company’s mission statements and values.

In 2015, the United Nations, set out the Sustainable Development Goals (also known as the SDG’s) of which there are 17. These goals aim to provide peace and prosperity for our planet and for people now and into the future.

Using the SDGs as guidelines, individual countries have then set out their own targets to meet these goals.

By 2050, the UK Government aims to cut carbon emissions by at least 80%, compared with the country’s 1990 baseline figure of 592.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. (Please note, this is a domestic baseline target and excludes emissions from international aviation and international shipping).

Construction projects have historically been a significant contributor to the use of resources and environmental pollution, but advances in design, engineering, and a greater awareness to reduce carbon omission has been how the construction industry plays its part in helping the UK meet the Government’s Green Growth Plan.

The Institution of Civil Engineers has acknowledged the part the civil engineering sector can play in building a more sustainable future for the planet. It has also stressed how important it is for individual companies to collaborate to ensure that green targets are achieved.

Some examples of what is being done to make civil engineering more sustainable:

• Construction companies are using more environmentally friendly materials such as wood, which is effectively carbon-neutral, and sheep wool which is increasingly being used for insulation purposes rather than a manufactured alternative.
• Using artificial products such as manufactured sand can be a more eco alternative, instead of extracting it from the environment and transporting it across long distances.  
• Recycling materials which would otherwise be destined for landfill is another way of cutting CO2 emissions.
• Projects such as high-rise buildings can be made more sustainable by sourcing their own energy with the installation of roof top solar panels or wind turbines.
• Companies can use prefabricated components which are manufactured offsite in a controlled environment. This helps to cut down on the time spent on the construction site, reducing noise levels and CO2 emissions. 

Sustainable engineering also involves being more aware of, and cutting down on, emissions during the process, for example, with the use of plant and machinery. One method of achieving this is by sourcing materials locally.

Green engineering solutions need not be more expensive than conventional practices.  There may be a short-term increase in costs, but this can be recouped in the long term by using renewable energy from sources such as solar cells.

Sustainable engineering can also refer to renewable energy projects which will bring long-term benefits to the environment. These include harnessing wave and tidal power -onshore and offshore wind farms also fall into this category.

In July 2018 the UK Government announced £557m pounds worth of financial support to increase offshore developments in the UK.  Ministers will hold contract auctions to developers, every two years, over the next decade, under the Governments energy plans. This will see almost a third of Britain’s power being generated by offshore wind turbines by 2030.

See the Rampion Offshore wind farm website for more information on their work off the coast of Sussex.

Another growing sector of green engineering is biomass, which involves creating energy by burning wood or other organic matter. In the UK a project is underway to build a £160million biomass plant in Sandwich, Kent, which will be able to supply power to 50,000 homes.

Civil engineers are tasked to find complex solutions to the increased need for sustainability and environmentally conscious projects all over the UK.

If you are looking for a new challenge and contribute to making Civil Engineering greener, head over to our website to see a selection of Civil Engineering roles advertised.

Can’t find what you are looking for? Get in touch

According to the Bank of England, the rate of inflation is set to rise to 11% this year, eventually slowing down by next year and at 2% in the next two years. Whilst it is somewhat of a relief to hear that by year 2024 it will be at 2%, in the meantime we all have to face the rising cost of living and ride this wave out.

So, what does this mean for job seekers?

Despite the rise in business costs, a report published this month (June 2022) by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) shows that general recruitment activity continues to grow in the UK, the increase rate was at its slowest in 16 months. This slow increase was attributed to a combination of candidate shortage and slower decision-making from employers amid rising business costs.

This ongoing imbalance between the availability and demand of workers, drove starting pay rates to increase in June. Underlying data showed that permanent vacancies are rising at a steeper rate than temporary vacancies.

Source: Office for National Statistics

Recruiters are reporting a shortage in skills for roles such as Quantity Surveyors and Design Engineers as well as in other disciplines.

Jobseekers should be ”strategic” and target sectors experiencing shortages as well as those that are growing. The shortage occupation list – shows where workers are needed. It includes fields like civil engineering among others.

With top infrastructure projects such as Thames Tideway, HS2, Hinkley Point and Stonehenge tunnel all under way in 2022, the outlook for Civil Engineering job seekers in the UK remains positive (Read more about these projects).

So, if you have been considering a change, take the leap and head over to our previous blog (5 top tips for Civil Engineering CV writing), update your CV and get in touch with us.

To see a selection of our current vacancies, check out our website or alternatively, should you not see a role which is of interest connect with us on LinkedIn or email us.

All sectors are feeling the pinch in this candidate-led market, with unemployment at record lows as employers scramble to find enough workers to fill their vacant roles.

But nowhere is this more true than in the construction industry, which, according to the latest report by the Construction Skills Network, could struggle to meet expected growth if an additional quarter of a million workers aren’t employed by 2026.

In this article, we discuss the key findings of the report and reveal its suggestions for how recruiters can increase their teams.

As the shock of the pandemic has begun to lessen, the construction sector has had one of the largest bounce backs of all industries. New orders had recovered to their pre-pandemic level by Q2 2021, and annual construction output went on to increase by a record 12.7% in 2021.

And the trend continues, the ONS recently reported that the construction workforce grew by 1.2% in Q1 this year, rising from 2.16m in 2021 Q4 to 2.18m.

But these numbers aren’t going to be enough to support the growth in the sector, with a Construction Skills Network (CSN) report showing that the industry will need an additional 266,000 by 2026.

Back in January, the Construction Products Association (CPA) forecast that industry output would grow by 4.3% in 2022, and the trend will continue. There will be 2.78 million workers employed in the construction industry by 2026 if projected growth is met.

What is driving the growth in the construction industry?

Despite a variety of factors causing supply chain issues, there seems to be no end to the surging demand for private housing, as major housebuilders report that their output will continue to grow over the next few years.

In addition, the government’s drive to achieve Net Zero, along with technological advancements in eco-friendly building techniques, is pushing a growth in sustainable projects.

There is also no slowing down in the infrastructure sector, with civil engineering projects at a high.

Repair and maintenance contracts will also be needed to support the growing built environment. 

Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) chief executive Tim Balcon said: “Construction is vital in supporting the backbone of the UK economy. These future growth projections are encouraging after the stalling effects of the pandemic. However, this is set against a current backdrop of higher energy costs, material shortages, and associated price inflation that is currently hitting companies across the sector.”

What skills are short and where?

The report states that the largest increases in annual demand will be for carpenters, joiners, and construction managers as well as technical roles such as electronics technicians and estimators, and non-site support staff.

The South-West sees the biggest need for additional staff, with 41,950 new workers required to meet demands, while Greater London and the Southeast will need 26,000 and 23,000, respectively.

Suggestions of how to grow teams

The report admits that recruitment is a challenge. Construction vacancies are at a 20-year high and coupled with the competition for talent from other industries, this will mean that employers will need to rethink their recruitment strategies.

The report suggests that there just aren’t enough fully skilled workers in the pool to cover demand, so attracting young people, and training them from the ground up, will be a key strategy. But this means that the industry needs to work on its image to be able to attract talent, with only 2% of people in a recent survey considering construction as their preferred industry of work. 

Employers are encouraged to attract workers from non-traditional routes, such as adult re-skillers as well as develop domestic talent through Further Education (FE).

Balcon also reminded of the need for increased diversity in this traditionally male-dominated environment, “Training routes into the industry will be a focus for us and we have to attract and retain those that are under-represented – in particular women and those from ethnic minorities. It will be a major task, but the industry needs to evolve and reach its untapped potential for the national economy and our competitiveness on a global scale,” he said.

But employers must also ensure that they are working to retain their skilled workers, by providing competitive rewards packages and putting employee experience at the top of their priority list.

Hours Worked Increase

The Office of National Statistics release a monthly labour market overview, which estimates levels of employment, unemployment, economical activity, and other employment-related statistics for the UK. The latest UK Labour Market Overview shows, among other things, that the number of hours worked is on the increase. 

At a time when latest figures state that UK inflation has hit a 40 year high of 9%, the fact that the number of hours worked has increased might suggest desperation from UK workers. 

But could it be explained by something else? Read on to find out.

The latest UK Labour Market Overview just dropped, and it reveals some interesting insights about the state of our current labour market. It comes just days after the State Opening of Parliament, during which the government declared its intention to “grow and strengthen the economy and ease the cost of living for families.” 

And the latest figures from the Labour Market Overview suggest that things have still not recovered from the pandemic, proving that the government’s priorities appear to be in the right place. 

What is the Labour Market Overview?

The Labour Market Overview is released monthly by the ONS and is based on figures from the previous 3 months. This means that this release works on information provided from January 2022 to March 2022.

Some of the data included in the report is gathered from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) which is run by field interviewers each month, and some data, such as average weekly earnings and vacancies, rely on data collected from surveys of employers.

While the report is designed to provide only estimated predictions about the current state of the labour market, it does give useful information about what is going on.

Labour hours grow

One of the key measures in the report is the number of total actual weekly hours worked. 

This increased by 14.8 million hours to 1.04 billion hours in January to March 2022, compared with the previous quarter. This might suggest that, due to the surging cost of living, people are taking on additional work to make ends meet in the forms of overtime or even additional part time roles.

But this is still 10.7 million hours below the pre-pandemic rates. So, this could be a bounce back as people return to work after the pandemic, especially with things still unlikely to have fully settled since the end of the furlough scheme in September.

Falling Unemployment Levels

Unemployment also fell to its lowest level in 47 years, and for the first time since records began, there are officially fewer unemployed people than job vacancies. This reflects recruiters experience of the candidate led market, where demand for candidates is outstripping supply.

But again, this could be down to the pandemic. What has been dubbed “The Great Resignation” continues, as people rethink their priorities in the wake covid, with a reported 500k or more people completely disengaging from the labour market since the pandemic began. 

Bonuses Show Pay Growth, but that’s not the full story

After taking inflation into account, pay including bonuses rose 1.4% from January to March. But excluding bonuses pay fell by 1.2%, showing just how much the average employee is being squeezed. 

Bonus payments are at their highest levels since 2013, as employers look for ways to help workers navigate the higher living costs, but without committing to wage deals which beat inflation. Ultimately, the increase in bonuses is being driven by the lack of candidates, as employers frantically scrabble to attract and hold on to workers knowing that they might find them difficult to replace in this scarce market.

The next release of the Labour Market Overview is due mid-June, which will be based on figures from February-April. It will be interesting to see the impact of issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, growth in worldwide travel as restrictions ease and the end of free covid testing (which could put further strain on an already stressed labour force). 

Transport for London has today finally confirmed the Elizabeth line will open on Tuesday 24 May, subject to final safety approvals.

But work is set continue at the delayed Bond Street station, which will not open with the other stations on the day.

TfL said work was progressing at Bond Street and the team were working hard to open the station to customers later this year.

The Elizabeth line was originally planned to open in December 2018 but the project faced numerous setbacks, which saw the cost rise from around £15bn to £19bn.

The new line is set to be crucial to London’s recovery from the pandemic, helping avoid a car-led recovery by providing new journey options, supporting regeneration across the capital, and adding an estimated £42bn to the UK economy.

Andy Byford, Transport for London’s Commissioner, said: “I am delighted that we can now announce a date for the opening of the Elizabeth line in May.

“We are using these final few weeks to continue to build up reliability on the railway and get the Elizabeth line ready to welcome customers. The opening day is set to be a truly historic moment for the capital and the UK, and we look forward to showcasing a simply stunning addition to our network.”

Direct services from Reading, Heathrow and Shenfield are expected to connect with the central section in autumn 2022, with full end to end services commencing no later than May 2023.

The opening of the Elizabeth line has always been planned to take place in stages to ensure the new section stations, signalling and infrastructure can run safely and reliably before it fully links in with services out to the east and west.

VolkerFiztpatrick wins three new Birmingham railway stations

VolkerFitzpatrick has been appointed by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) to build three railway stations on the Camp Hill line in south Birmingham.

The £61m scheme will reintroduce passenger train services to Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell for the first time in 80 years.

Design work has started and work on site will begin from November with the stations expected to be completed next autumn.

Malcolm Holmes, director of rail with TfWM, said: “This is a major milestone towards seeing passenger trains restored on the Camp Hill line, with the contractor in place and construction crews gearing up to get on site.

“This means, that after several years of planning and development, we are now entering the final phase and it will not be too long before these stations are complete and open to the travelling public.”

Mike Evans, operations director for VolkerFitzpatrick, said: “Our team are excited to be part of these ambitious plans to create an improved transport network, that will support the region’s ambition to be net zero carbon by 2041.”

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The Report on Jobs is unique in providing the most comprehensive guide to the UK labour market, drawing on original survey data provided by recruitment consultancies and employers to provide the first indication each month of labour market trends.

The main findings for February are:

Softer, but still rapid increase in hiring activity

UK recruitment consultancies recorded a further robust increase in hiring activity during February amid reports of rising workloads at clients and greater confidence in the outlook. That said, permanent placement growth eased to an 11-month low and temp billings also expanded at a softer pace, with recruiters frequently stating that candidate shortages had limited their ability to fill roles.

Candidate supply falls at quickest rate for three months

The total availability of candidates fell at the sharpest rate since last November in February, driven by steeper falls in both permanent and temp staff supply. Lower candidate numbers were generally attributed to ongoing tight labour market conditions and robust demand for staff. There were also reports that the pool of candidates was limited due to lingering pandemic-related uncertainty and fewer foreign applicants.

Vacancy growth accelerates for first time since last July

Overall vacancies expanded at the quickest rate for three months in February. This marked the first acceleration of growth since last July, and was driven by sharper rises in demand for both permanent and temporary staff.

Pay pressures sharpen in February

Recruiters continued to see intense competition for workers in February, leading to further steep increases in rates of starting pay for both permanent and short-term staff. Notably, permanent starters’ salaries rose at the second-sharpest pace since data collection began in October 1997.

HS2 has revealed fresh concept designs for the Euston terminus based on a less complex, more efficient, 10-platform station that can now be built in a single stage.

Arched station roof swapped for easier to build geometric design

Mace Dragados JV, HS2’s station construction partner, has worked with the design consortium of Arup, WSP and Grimshaw Architects to refine and value engineer the design to reduce costs.

Original concept HS2 Euston station design.

The original arched station roof has been swapped for an easier-to-build geometric roof design that allows natural light to flood into the 300m long station concourse below.

Elements of the new roof design can be prefabricated off-site, and installed using modular construction techniques, reducing costs, carbon emissions and local disruption.

The HS2 station will be set across three levels, with 10 subsurface platforms that are 450m long.

The 300m long ground-level concourse will open out onto new public spaces at the north and south entrances.

The station hall – 20% larger than Trafalgar Square – will become the largest station concourse in the UK.

Retail and station facilities will be available on the ground and first floor, underneath the top-lit station roof.

Construction of the HS2 station will also support 3,000 jobs at peak and will offer hundreds of contract opportunities through the supply chain.

MDJV recently began a multi-year procurement of packages worth £500m for work on the HS2 station and the London Underground at Euston and Euston Square which will provide improved connections for passengers.

Taking account of the recommendations of the independent Oakervee review, the design integrates the HS2 station with the existing Network Rail station and emerging plans for over site development, led by Lendlease.

Lendlease, the Government’s appointed Master Development Partner at Euston, has started an 18-month long public consultation to seek the views of the local community about what would be of value to them in the development.