Construction

This sector comprises all the activities which contribute to the nation's built environment – its buildings and infrastructure. This includes the inception of property or infrastructure development, construction itself, including installation of associated services and utilities, and the maintenance and repair of property and infrastructure subsequent to the construction phase.

"Figures suggest that the industry contributes around £58 billion in output to the national economy, 9% of all of the nation's GDP and employs around 7% of the UK's workforce. For the South West region statistics show that construction is more important regionally than nationally, the sector in the region accounting for a slightly larger contribution to national output and employment than does the region’s total output and employment across all sectors.

"The actual employment level in the industry is not easy to discern with absolute accuracy. The CITB's employment model estimates that around 145,000 people were employed in the industry in the South West in 2000, whilst the Labour Force Survey estimates a significantly higher figure of around 185,000. The differences are probably accounted for by their different sources – the former originating from censuses of employers (the Annual Employment Survey and Annual Business Inquiry) and the latter from a survey of residents (the LFS)." (BMG, 2002)

Mapping of Skills Supply and Demand in the South West Construction Sector

Plymouth TTWA Medium- to Long-Term Skills Needs in the Key Sector: Construction (July 2002)

Good Practice Case Studies in the Construction Sector

Constructing a Competitive Workforce - The Construction Workforce Development Planning Brief

for publications related to construction.

Construction Industry Council (CIC)
The CIC is the representative forum for the industry's professional bodies, research organisations and specialist trade associations.

Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and CITB Construction Skills
Sector Skills Council for the construction sector.

Constructionline
The UK's largest register of local and national pre-qualified construction and construction-related services.

DTI - Construction
The Department of Trade and Industry pages on the construction sector.

Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
Former NTO for the engineering construction sector.

Bristol (CBPC) Network web link	The aim of the Bristol Construction Good Practice Club is to bring together all those involved in construction from employers and professionals to contractors and subcontractors, to create an environment where Best Practice principles can be learnt and encouraged for the benefit of all.
South West (CBPC) Network web link	Aims and objectives of the South West Construction Best Practice Club are to provide a focus for all those involved in Construction and Maintenance; to create a learning environment that encourages best practice and continual improvement through shared experiences and knowledge that benefits the members of the club and the wider community.
South West Women in Construction Network web link	South West Women in Construction are an organisation providing women from any discipline, trade, sector or organisation involved in construction with the opportunity to meet, network and share experiences.

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