The industry says it is still suffering from an image problem.

Some 380,000 people will have to be recruited over the next three years if government targets for new housing, hospitals, roads and schools are to be met.

Despite reasonable pay and the appeal of working outdoors and overseas, the industry says it is still suffering from an image problem.

Earlier this year it emerged that some construction workers at Heathrow's Terminal Five were being paid up to �55,000 a year.

The recruitment campaign, being organised by the Construction Industry Training Board, is aimed mainly at 14 to 19 year olds.

It will use the internet, and advertising on postcards, in cinemas and on beer mats to attract more people into a sector forecast to grow quickly in the years ahead.

New recruits are needed at all levels, from graduates to skilled crafts people.

Of the 380,000 people required, 65,000 alone will be needed each year to replace existing manpower, mostly due to retirement.

'Exciting career'

An extra 11,000 will be needed to meet growth in demand owing to the large number of building and infrastructure projects planned in the UK.

The training board said the campaign aimed to promote construction as an exciting and varied career option, and to communicate the positives of such a career to all, including women and ethnic minorities.

It will also seek to create a positive image of the industry to young people and to recruit quality students, particularly into graduate career programmes.

The board also want to increase awareness amongst employers and stakeholders about the work it is undertaking to meet the skills shortages.

It also wants to encourage employers to play their part in meeting the demand for apprenticeships and work placements