 Training levels have dropped, the report says |
Future construction projects are being put at risk because of inadequate training schemes in the industry, the Adult Learning Inspectorate has said. The skills watchdog says the industry faces increased demands in the next 10 years with a raft of new transport, housing, health and education projects.
But its report highlights an "acute shortage" of craftspeople - and found only 34% of newcomers finish training.
The industry should take on more women and ethnic minority workers, it adds.
ALI director of inspection Nicky Perry said the recent practice of bringing in trained workers from other countries could only be a short term solution for the industry.
"Employers need to understand the importance of committing to training for the future," she said.
'Critical problems'
About 100,000 people annually learned skills such as carpentry, plastering and bricklaying in the 1970s.
The ALI found 40,000 people in England joined industry training schemes last year - but of the providers, only 60% were judged to have maintained acceptable standards.
 |  "The industry is squandering its own future by not facing up to the critical problems endemic in its training methods |
It said it was concerned that there was a complicated training framework and bureaucratic assessment methods.
Many employers tended not to consider training to be part of their role with only about 25% of companies doing any apprenticeship training at all, it found.
"The industry is squandering its own future by not facing up to the critical problems endemic in its training methods today," said Ms Perry.
Long-term view
The report did find, however, that many of those entering the industry valued the training they received and there had been an increase in demand for apprenticeships from school leavers.
The ALI also cited some good examples of practical training in colleges and some "excellent" providers.
Alan Ritchie, general secretary of the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) said many construction firms take on workers on a short-tem basis and do not see the value in training.
He believes the situation will improve if companies end the practice of classing many of their workers as self-employed.
"We are now seeing some progressive companies employing people direct and working for this kind of vision of the industry," he said.
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