The construction industry suffers from a conflict between the jobs and the location of the workers. Vocational studies in the field attract the least number of young people in growing urban areas, where construction will be the most active in the future as well.
The attraction of big cities is getting stronger in Finland and the population is becoming even more concentrated. According to MDI's recent forecast, the regions of Helsinki, Tampere and Turku will clearly grow by 2040.
The progress of urbanization means more construction and an increase in the demand for workers in the construction industry. There is already a constant shortage of labor in the sector. ELY centers' professional barometer tells about it, among other things.
"The labor shortage in the construction industry in growth centers is a fact that should be remembered by young people making their choice in a joint application. Even if the pace of housing construction slows down seasonally, construction will not stop in the growth centers. Construction of infrastructure also requires workers from all over Finland. The implementation of the planned multibillion-dollar transport investments requires a large workforce", CEO of Rakennusteollisuus RT Aleksi Randell says.
The labor shortage in the construction industry first of all affects large cities, but those are the least applied to professional studies in the field after basic school. There is particularly little interest in the construction industry in the capital region, i.e. exactly where there are the most jobs.
The attractiveness of construction studies by province is weakest in Uusimaa and Pirkanmaa, both of which are regions of strong growth. The contradiction between the labor shortage and the application of studies in the field comes to the fore in the results of a yet-to-be-published study investigating the application of young people to vocational education fields.
Randell believes that the international top-level real estate and construction campus that will be built in Myllypuro, Helsinki, will in the future increase the attractiveness of studies in the field in the Helsinki region. The joint campus of Stadi Vocational and Adult College and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences enables students of different education levels to work closely with each other and with companies.
Construction students have great credit for their employment
Good employment prospects are also known to those who have already chosen the construction industry. Amisbarometer shows that students in the construction industry have a higher credit for employment in their own field than students in other fields. Confidence in finding a meaningful job after studies is also higher among construction students than in other fields.
"Students who have chosen the field of construction know that the field offers versatile work in varied environments. The work is also meaningful, because it leaves a permanent mark that affects the well-being of people and the environment. In addition, the industry and its tasks are developing even faster with digitization and common platforms", Rakennusteollisuus RT's expert in education and labor affairs Lauri Pakkanen toteaa.
Construction students who responded to the Amisbarometer believe in employment in the long term as well. Only 2,5 percent thought that finding a permanent job was very unlikely. There is also confidence in being comfortable in the field - only five percent consider it very likely to change the field in the future.
"There are construction vocational schools in almost every municipality. There are three degree options. Now is a good time for young people to still think about the right choices, because the joint application ends on March 12", reminds Lauri Pakkanen.
For more information:
Lauri Pakkanen, tel. 050 522 7797, first name.surname@rakenskunteollisuus.fi