It’s been a week since the news broke that the UK’s sixth largest main contractor had entered administration. Some are suggesting that there are parallels to the Carillion collapse in 2018, specifically in terms of the knock-on effect it will have for the industry.

Right now, though, there are more than 2000 employees that face the prospect of no salary at the end of the month. There are hundreds of sub-contractors that won’t get paid, which means their creditors and employees may not get paid either. There are apprentices, just starting out in their careers in construction that now find themselves without future prospects.

I have to wonder if these human impacts ever enter the minds of these directors when they are making decisions? And let’s be fair, a company doesn’t go into administration without multiple bad decisions being made.

We’ve spoken quite a bit recently about the perception of the construction industry and how it needs to improve if we are to attract more people to work in the sector. We know that the skills gap is big and getting bigger.

Events like this don’t do us any favours. We can make all the arguments for opportunity but why would anyone consider a career in construction where even the biggest players can’t keep their heads above water?

Industry bodies have added their voices to the debate and there’s a common thread: The changes in decision making to make the industry more resilient are not happening, at least not broadly enough to have the desired impact. Old habits die hard it seems.

Some may argue that with the skills gaps, those that have lost their jobs will get snapped up in no time. But have you ever lost your income due to no fault of your own? Have you experienced the fear of trying to figure out how to pay your bills that are due now? Have you sat there staring at a blank screen trying to put together a CV?

To say it’s not easy is an understatement. It can be a place of utter despair that sometimes is very hard to recover from. To those that find themselves in that place now, know you’re not alone. The best approach now is to do one thing each day towards finding a new opportunity. Reach out to industry contacts, use the resources freely available to help you compile a great CV, and when you’re ready, get in touch. We help companies hire top talent, and that could be you, regardless of your current circumstances.