Deconstructing the Brexit

Conflicting Reports

In the aftermath of the Brexit, one of the recurring questions we at Elk Recruitment continue to receive is how the construction sector will be affected. Conflicting reports regularly appear in the media, and for graduates, job seekers and those still studying construction-related subjects, the sector seems to be in a state of flux. Looking at recent job announcements and projections; however, Elk Recruitment has every reason to be optimistic about the construction sector going forward. This growth extends to every aspect of the building industry including, façade and fenestration alongside new, ambitious build announcements worldwide.

Apprentice Figures Fall

Applying this optimism to Ireland, a recent study by DKM economic consultants predicted that over 76’000 additional construction workers will be needed over the next four years. As we have written about in a previous Blog, the level of apprentices has reduced drastically over the last decade, so a new strategy will be needed to find new workers. In 2007 there were over 20’000 construction apprentices, whereas today that figure is below 5’000.   A venture by the UK’s National Construction College is finding a novel way to tackle this problem. They have taken 84 second year undergraduate students and challenged them to manage and build physical construction projects and complete company assignments within a designated time-frame. This practical approach allowed students to understand the challenges of working within both a planning and physical environment. Students were taught in everything from health and safety to working with power tools and even trucks, excavators and cranes. Utilising a similar approach may attract more Irish apprentices to the construction sector.

Continual Growth

On a daily basis, construction projects continue to be announced, such as Ireland’s fourth largest hotel adjacent to Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport. This project will employ 150 construction workers until the hotel’s opening date in 2019. Accompanying this news was the prediction by The Irish Tourist Industry Confederation that an extra 5000 hotel bedrooms would be needed in Dublin alone by the year 2020.   At Elk Recruitment, even after the Brexit, we can only foresee continual growth for the construction sector. 

Age & Opportunity

Staying in Jobs

As more and more workers are staying in jobs beyond the previous retirement age, this can offer firms a wealth of experience from the employer’s side, and also allow older employees opportunities in terms of new skills and, indeed, new careers.  According to William Fry’s 2016 Employment Report: Age In The Workplace, 48% of organisations, do not have a mandatory retirement age at all. Another stand-out statistic was that 63% of older employees do not wish to, nor expect to be in a financial position to retire at the current state pension age.

Security and Opportunity

This trend is reflected in worldwide statistics and is not just an Irish phenomenon. The U.S. Census Bureau is predicting a 5% rise in workers over the age of 65 by the year 2022. This makes this particular age group the fastest growing in the American economy. Another example of this trend is in Korea where new figures show that 37% of new employees are now over the age of 50.  A recent poll by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) showed that more than seven in 10 human resource professionals believe the loss of skilled older workers is “a potential problem” for their particular sectors. As the number of industries looking to keep or employ experienced employees increases, this offers older employees opportunities in terms of learning new skills, changing job or even changing career.  For employers, the benefits of hiring an older employee are easy to see. An employer can determine how loyal a candidate is. This is not the case with a graduate. An older employee also has the potential to be more flexible as their family circumstances may be more stable than a younger employee. Giving older employees opportunities also creates the ‘mentor factor’ where younger employees can gain the wisdom and insights of someone who has a depth of life experience.

Changing Perception

As a new perception of today’s workforce dynamic begins to emerge, both employers and employees alike can benefit. Opportunities for older employees can help transition a company through the current economic climate by contributing stability, wisdom and experience.    

Career Guidance

Setting Goals

The Italian artist and architect, Michelangelo, once said this about setting goals, “The greatest danger for most of us is not setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.” For many people, unfortunately, this observation remains all too real. Sometimes it is our unwillingness or inability to see our full potential that holds us back, and we stay in a rut, not realising that we are capable of so much more. At Elk Recruitment, career guidance is a process that we have been complimented on many times. Our expertise in the recruitment process means that we can offer forward-thinking advice to candidates and draw from our international experience when it comes to choosing a new job and a new career path.

Changing Direction

The façade and fenestration industry, which is one of Elk Recruitment’s niche area’s of expertise, is a perfect example of a potential career path which can incorporate new, exciting skills with a solid foundational platform. Elk Recruitment career guidance in this area is unique in that we are in constant communication with leading companies at the forefront of this sector. We are seeing and recruiting new skill combinations for an industry that is foreseeing whole new career trajectories opening up because of technological patterns and breakthroughs. The Smart Cities Mission urban renewal project in India is an excellent example. This ambitious development envisions a multitask approach to planning, building and conservation which will incorporate a skill-set involving façade and fenestration, power and water supply, IT connectivity and the latest MedTech and citizen safety attributes.

A New Path

Taking a chance on a new path can be a risk, but if you feel it is time for a change, then Elk Recruitment career guidance can offer practical advice based on years of multi-industry experience. Until we take that first step, we will not know what opportunities await us. 

Another quote from Michelangelo is a fitting final say and sums this up perfectly,

“The marble not yet carved can hold the form of every thought the greatest artist has.”