Construction firms struggling to recruit workers

Building firms have said they are turning down work due to a lack of labour

Construction companies in Guernsey have said they are struggling to recruit young people into the industry and losing business as a result.

Richard Bourgaize, owner of Impact Scaffolding, said: "I feel like the buzz about construction may have fizzled out to young people."

Another Guernsey construction company, Sarnian Roofing, said it had seen similar recruitment issues which left it turning away work.

But The Guernsey Institute College said more young people had begun construction apprenticeships in the last five years.

Industry will 'struggle'

Mr Bourgaize said the construction industry needed a joint plan to "try to get younger people to join us".

He said they had tried off-island recruitment but the cost of accommodation made that "nearly impossible".

Andy Gavey, managing director of Sarnian Roofing added: "I think the whole building industry is going to struggle, nobody nowadays wants to roll up their sleeves and get stuck into manual labour."

He said the shortage of workers meant they were having to turn down potential clients.

But Louise Misselke, principal at The Guernsey Institute College, said there had been a 14% increase in the number of construction apprentices this year.

She said this number may rise if employers were still looking for apprentices.