A SHORTAGE of brickies means some are now earning more than £125,000 a year.
Building bosses say there are just 70,000 working bricklayers and more need to be trained.
A shortage of brickies means some are now earning more than £125,000 a year
They say if that does not happen, the industry will struggle to meet the government’s targets of building 300,000 houses a year.
Ian Hodgkinson, 59, who runs Derby-based Hodgkinson Builders, said: “There needs to be more emphasis on training here and encouragement to get into the business.
“I started as an apprentice and worked my way up. Now I run around 80 bricklayers.
“Some of the juniors can earn £1,000 a week. The more senior £2,500 a week.”
Downing Street will relax visa rules for foreign builders.
Our Builder Better Britain campaign, backed by Apprenticeship minister Robert Halfon, hopes to encourage Brits to plug the gaps.
