Good managers are hard to find

Managers in the construction sector are reporting a tough climate to find the right project managers.

According to research by the Financial Times, managers in the hard-hit construction industry report difficulties finding workers with the right skills.

Mark Andrews, chief executive of NG Bailey, told the news provider that specialist positions, and more generic ones are proving difficult to fill with the right person.

He said: "In the south and London, where work is holding up better, finding good project managers, project engineers and commercial managers continues to be a challenge."

Trends show that commercial work looks unlikely to come back for years, however construction in the public sector has kept companies going but a spending squeeze is widely expected soon.

Mr Andrews told the new provider: "A lot of people, including me, are so focused on trying to manage a very significant downturn that it is easy to take your eye off the ball in terms of the longer-term issues on skills."

He added that the country has got an ageing population in this industry and that there is a need to keep people looking for career development coming into it.

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that unemployment in the UK is 2.43 million, with unemployment now standing at 7.8 per cent.