Construction production in the Czech Republic is unprecedentedly rising and it can be expected that this year's trend will continue. According to the latest CZSO data, it grew by 8.4% last year, most significantly since 2004 . Building and civil engineering are the main contributors to this, as is housing construction. Growth trend is expected to remain this year, skeptical assumptions for 2020.
Companies have almost exhausted capacity for this year
Circumstances therefore record that companies are still taking advantage of the growth trend this year. But they are in a situation where they have contracted contracts for practically the next season. Construction companies are busy at 92%, the big ones at 95%. Other orders do not allow them to receive technology utilization, but above all a lack of people. The vast majority of 95% of companies are currently struggling to fill vacancies.
Only construction workers are missing
According to the data of the working portal Profesia.cz, the companies most often look for welders, fitters, building fitters. “This is not so surprising, because education of adolescents in this field is far from covering the loss of employees due to aging. What is surprising, however, is that among the most frequently sought positions we find the domains of industrialists and university students, ie a profession as a site manager or a designer, ” comments Michal Novák from the Profesia.cz portal
The number of responses to places offered is also decreasing, regardless of the quality of the candidates. Starting from statistics on Profesia.cz, the smallest number of people responds in addition to specialized positions on offers for designers, budgetists or statics. It is often said that labor shortages in the construction sector would solve the simplification of the conditions for obtaining work visas for workers from the East. But more and more people in secondary technical positions are missing , except for the above-mentioned budgetists, eg preparers or statics.
Interest in the construction industry has been decreasing for a long time
Interest in construction has been decreasing for 5 years. According to data from the labor market Profesia.cz, which collects data on the labor market since 2010, the number of responses to advertised positions in the construction industry after the balanced years 2011-12 in 2013 increased to the level of 2010, and has been decreasing ever since. In 2017, the number of people interested in working in the construction industry was half that of the highest interest in 2010 and 2013, last year it declined. This year's figures indicate that this trend continues.
Wages have been growing at a steady pace since 2015
“Since 2015, wages in construction have been growing relatively evenly, by 6-8% a year. Currently, the average total wage in this sector is less than CZK 32,800, which cannot compete with most manufacturing companies, ”says Michal Novák .
The situation in individual regions varies - wages in the Karlovy Vary region grew most significantly by 10% last year; but it should be noted that they grew from a lower base than elsewhere. According to Platy.cz, the lowest year-on-year growth was recorded in Prague by 6%. However, the absolute amount of wages is highest, currently it is 36 680 CZK. Prague is followed traditionally by the South Moravian Region (CZK 31,600) and the South Bohemian Region (CZK 29,500).
Source / photo: ASPEN.PR sro / Illustrative photo (www.pexels.com)
