80% of Belgian companies surveyed by Belgian construction sector federation Embuild report that it is either difficult or very difficult to find new staff, Le Soir reports.
There is currently an abundance of vacancies in the sector – up to 14,000 according to Embuild's estimates – but there is little supply of workers from within Belgium. Staffing is often outsourced to employees from other EU countries.
24% of the 200 companies surveyed attempted to fill the gap with Belgian subcontracting companies, and a further 20% with foreign contractors. Moreover, 21% of companies have been forced to limit their market offer as a result of labour shortages.
"The problem is that one in five companies is limiting its offers because of this labour shortage," Embuild CEO Niko Demeester told Le Soir. "That's why it is high time to revalue education in the field of construction and to orient employment policy towards activation, training and redevelopment."
Embuild wants to revitalise the construction industry, moving away from negative stereotypes and towards a new professional image. In a new campaign aimed at French-speakers, the sector says it wants to attract a generation of "new builders" to the profession.
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It aims to boost the industry with 30,000 new jobs on behalf of Forem, the French-speaking job centre. These workers will be used to help with the renovation of housing across Wallonia, with a view to obtaining carbon neutrality for all Walloon buildings by 2050.
The campaign is primarily geared towards young men and women looking for a new career or purpose, as well as those who are experiencing burnout in their field and in search of professional retraining.
"They are the ones who will transform the building world and make it less energy-intensive and more sustainable, thereby contributing to achieving the European ambition of carbon neutrality," the industry boss concluded.
