The construction industry must take on more apprentices, it has been claimed.
It is up to the government to ensure that the number of people entering construction apprenticeships increase, the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (Ucatt) stated.
"Employers have got to be forced to take on apprentices. They do not want to at the moment," a Ucatt spokesperson said.
"We are looking for a mixture of legislation and regulation."
Only 7,000 people out of 50,000 construction apprenticeship applicants were accepted last year, according to government figures.
However, it is predicted that 650,000 people will need to be trained in the industry by 2010.
The spokesperson called for the issue to be given "priority" in the sector.
He added that it is not yet important to rectify the balance of women and men who work in the male dominated construction industry while there are not enough places for applicants of either gender.
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