In addition to rising prices of materials and raw materials, builders are also addressing the shortage of skilled labor. At the same time, interest in studying construction has been declining for a long time, which may be a serious problem in the future, according to the companies contacted. Therefore, most of them try to attract students during their studies during internships and, according to them, the introduction of dual education would also help interest in construction.
Last year, according to the Czech Statistical Office (CSO), a quarter less students studied at universities last year than in 2001, about 38,500 people. “Our experience confirms the statistics. Recruiting new employees to the team of designers, architects and builders is a big challenge in connection with low unemployment. In the last year, we have filled only about ten positions in the field,” said Michaela Tomášková, CEO of Central Group. “This is a reality on which nothing will change in the coming years,” added Edita Novotná, spokeswoman for the Strabag Czechia and Slovakia.
According to developers and builders, the problem is the lack of graduates with experience, necessary knowledge and sufficient motivation. “We are looking for, for example, a chief project engineer, technical supervision of large housing construction, a building permit manager or an architect for large development projects,” said Ekospol CEO Evžen Korec. “It’s complicated,” he added.
“Construction, which is the second most important segment in the economy of our state, loses to the young generation in the selection of schools in the humanities in general,” Finep spokesman David Jirušek stated.
The lack of graduates can, above all, complicate future generational change. “Given the demographic curve, it is clear that the situation will not improve for the better. Unfortunately, our education system does not develop much competence of pupils and students towards technical fields and there are fewer people interested in studying them than the practice would need,” said Novotná.
There are not only university-educated professionals, but also construction workers, electricians, craftsmen and construction machinery operators. “Construction requires increasingly skilled workers in previously purely manual positions. Dozers or finishers must be able to operate 3D guidance and foremen on some construction sites routinely work with BIM (building information model). We invest in technology, but unless interest in construction changes as whole, there will be no one to serve them in a few years,” thinks Slavomíra Sedláčková, HR Director of Skanska Central Europe.
Metrostav has also been looking for builders for a long time and we hire about fifty a year. The number of graduates has fallen by about half in the last ten years and the demand of companies is high, so logically it is more difficult to get graduates. currently has over 70 students on long-term internships and will be hiring more in the summer.
According to Central Group, a system of dual education, operating in Germany, Austria and Slovakia, should attract even more students. It is based on providing practical training directly in companies. “Support for dual education and its legislative entrenchment could significantly make not only construction, but also other technical fields,” Tomášková refers to the government’s program statement, according to which Petr Fiala’s (ODS) cabinet wants to develop models of cooperation between schools and the corporate sector.
Builders are looking for ways to get students and cooperate not only with the Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague. “They can choose from a wide range of topics for bachelor’s and master’s theses, thanks to which they can participate in solving real problems arising from practice,” said the director of Ekospol Korec. “We have good experience with professional internships, online lectures and virtual excursions. After the internship, most of the students who came to us last year for the summer internship have already stayed in the company,” said Sedláčková from Skansky. It works similarly for other companies.
Source: CTK
