The "important" role that construction skills - which could be developed while studying on electrician courses - play in development has been outlined by one industry commentator.

Greg Pitcher, deputy news editor of Construction News, made his remarks after the publication of the CIPS/Markit UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index earlier this month.

The research showed that the housing sub-sector posted a rise for the first time in 22 months and that competition among vendors has caused a fall in input prices.

Mr Pitcher said that the construction sector is very important and was hit "quite hard" by the recession, noting that skills involved in creating building can be very niche.

Additionally, he stated that public sector work is of "great importance" to the industry.

"I should think every type of construction is different. Building a hospital, building a skyscraper, building an office block – they're all different. Skills for those areas are important," he concluded.

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