Constructing Excellence & CIOB members were treated to a talk by Mark Farmer this evening at the Said Business School in Oxford.  Mark penned the Farmer Review: Modernise or Die, which focuses on the failings and challenges that the construction labour market is facing.

The Farmer Review identified 10 critical failings, which include dysfunctional training funding and delivery models and a chronic lack of investment in research and development in innovation.

Over the next 10 years, the UK could see a 25 per cent decline in available workforce, such a decrease would render the industry incapable of delivering infrastructure and housing.

The report says that a tipping point is likely to be reached in the next five to 10 years, when the industry’s symptoms will worsen and its decline will become irreversible.

The major recommendation to resolve this? Industry, government and clients should work together to improve supply chain relationships and increase investment in standardisation of building components and off/on-site manufacturing.

The talk was very well received by 60 delegates who took the opportunity to enter into a stimulating Q&A period at the end of the meeting.