Construction Industry: Industry Facts
- Every year the construction industry offers career opportunities for enough people to fill a football stadium (that's 88,000 people each year for the next 4 years). And now the task of building the London 2012 Olympics will create approximately 33,500 additional jobs over the next seven years.
- In the construction industry, the sky is the limit. Whatever level you start at, as long as you have the determination and put in the hard work, there is plenty of scope to move up the career ladder. It's also worth noting that in the construction industry, more than 35% of people are their own boss and run their own companies.
- Almost 200,000 women work in construction, proving that it's definitely not just "jobs for the boys! The opportunities are up for grabs - you've just got to reach for them.
- 1 in 14 of the UK workforce is employed in construction - that's nearly 2 million people!
- It is a very diverse industry; ranging from small local businesses to world famous blue chip companies.
- About fourteen per cent of all Scottish jobs are in the construction industry.
- The average age of a worker is around 40 - the Construction Industry needs new young recruits for the future health of the industry - therefore job prospects for school leavers in the construction industry are very good!
- More than a quarter of employers have recruited a school leaver in the last two to three years.
- Nearly 50% of employers in the building services engineering industry take part in the modern apprenticeship scheme.
- The construction industry is vitally important to the Scottish Economy. It employs 250,000 people and is worth approximately £10 billion to Scotland's economy, representing around 10 per cent of Scotland's GDP.
