Crossrail sucking up talent from across the country

Crossrail’s requirement for skilled workers has grabbed talented engineering and construction workers from hundreds of miles away leading to a skill shortage in other areas of the UK, according to new research from specialist recruiter Randstad CPE.

Crossrail is not only a powerful draw for international talent but also for workers within the UK. 28.3% of employees beginning Crossrail related work in the London area were originally from locations more than 30 miles away from the new railway line. This figure is from the analysis of over 40,000 individual construction and engineering placements in the UK, including more than 150 various Crossrail related job descriptions.

Of the 28.3% more than half have taken up Crossrail jobs 50 miles from their homes, while 4.7% have moved over 100 miles or more.

Out of an estimated 14,000 people to have worked on Crossrail since the start of the project in May 2009, 4,000 employees commuted or relocated more than 30 miles towards London and 2,100 originally came from over 50 miles away.

Owen Goodhead, MD of Randstad Construction, Property & Engineering, comments: “Britain’s construction and engineering skills gap has been a dilemma for decades.  But now it is biting.

“The infrastructure challenges of the 21st century make this an urgent issue. Crossrail is just one major project, and the effect is felt sharply across the UK.

“Employers want the right person for the right job – absolutely the correct approach – but this is unleashing a spiral of competition. Skills shortages are here to stay for the foreseeable future, and candidates looking for construction and engineering jobs are benefitting. At the start of the project in 2009, the draw of Crossrail was accentuated by the recession, and today it is one of the brightest symbols of recovery in the UK jobs market.

“The downside is in local areas at the other end of this skills vacuum. Crossrail will revolutionise the daily commute for thousands. But the people creating this engineering marvel have their own stories of relocation and long commutes – and their home towns will tell the story of a skills exodus.”

The potential for greater earnings in London is clearly a strong pull, with those workers in general Crossrail jobs earning £1,189 extra per year, a total of £10,701 if the employee works for the entire duration of the project (2009 -2018).

The difference in wages in even more significant when more specialist roles are examined. Tunnelling engineers working in the London area earn on average £25,000. Site manager jobs pay in excess of £30,000, while experienced project managers can see salaries of over £50,000.

Mr Goodhead commented: “Filling quantity surveyor jobs and project manager jobs can be a challenge for employers right across the UK. But London is the white-hot core – where the same job titles command an even greater premium. Especially for high-profile projects, employers are stumping up the cash to get the right skills.”

“All rail workers, tunnellers, automotive and structural engineers get a bonus for living in London – but those employed by Crossrail itself are likely to see even higher earnings again. Not only is Crossrail an iconic project for any CV, it has its own training and learning opportunities – and its own additional earnings premium, even in London.

“Crossrail will be winding down within the next two years, and ambitious skilled people may start to look to other regions. But for a decade one railway will have defined a huge portion of the jobs market.”

With Crossrail set to complete in 2018, the research indicates that the trend seen on the project is also being echoed in other construction and engineering roles. Since 2009, Randstad CPE have seen 38% of recruitment in engineering jobs and construction jobs unconnected to Crossrail, finding jobs in the London area over the last six years.

Owen Goodhead said: “London and the South East are now powering the whole UK construction industry. Crossrail represents a particular crunch point for even scarcer skills – but the trend is now growing. Property prices around London provide a steady underpinning to returns from residential house building – while huge infrastructure projects like Crossrail, the Thames Tideway and soon HS2, all radiate out from the capital.

“But while all roads may lead to London, the rest of the UK still needs skilled engineers and construction workers. In a world where jobs are increasingly outnumbering the best candidates, employers need to up their game to find the right people for the job.

“As a country we need more people to start from scratch in construction and engineering – which means training.  In particular, apprenticeships can be a huge part of the solution, invigorating the workforce with a fresh cohort of skilled people, and widening access to the very best jobs.”

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