Justin Sullivan says demand for skilled workers is “white hot” as industry requires 250,000 extra bodies by 2028
The new president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has warned that skills shortages could derail Keir Starmer’s plans to build 1.5m homes.
Justin Sullivan today became the organisation’s 143rd president. He is the founder and chief executive of property and construction consultancy Adair, which was formed in 1994.
On his inauguration, he said: “Across the globe, demand for built environment professionals of all specialisms is white hot, and opportunities for the next generation are profound.
“We need to get more young people considering and entering surveying as a career. The UK faces many challenges - we need to build more homes, but face skills shortages which threaten to derail these plans.
“Similarly, surveyors and other built environment professionals are in short supply across the globe, most acutely in regions where construction is booming, such as the Middle East.
“We must also develop an increasingly welcoming profession which is open to people of all backgrounds and identities - a crucial cornerstone for getting more youth into the profession.”
Sullivan has held various positions within the RICS since 2004, inlcuding as a member of its international governing council and head judge for the RICS Matrics Surveyor Awards.
He steps up to head the organisation against the backdrop of the Labour government’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes within the next five years.
RICS’ outgoing president, Tina Paillet also acknowledged the “profound skills shortages across all global regions” as something that Sullivan is “passionate about tackling.”
In a recent BD comment piece, Paillet advocated for a built environment GCSE to supplement the diminishing workforce.
She wrote: “Brexit, a sharp drop in apprenticeship starts and spiralling retirement rates have combined to create the perfect storm for Britain’s acute skills crisis.”
Meanwhile, a report published by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) in May 2024 revealed that more than 250,000 extra workers are needed by 2028 to meet infrastructure and housing demand.
The government has responded to concerns by launching Skills England in July 2024, a programme aiming to bolster its industrial strategy, which outlines £63bn of investment in infrastructure projects from data centres to airports.
Prime minister Keir Starmer said: “Skills England will jumpstart young people’s careers and galvanise local economies. It will bring businesses together with trade unions, mayors, universities, colleges and training providers to give us a complete picture of skills gaps nationwide, boost growth in all corners of the country and give people the opportunity to get on in life.”
> Also read: Why we need a built environment GCSE to inspire the next generation of professionals
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