Nearly a quarter (22%) of large consultancy and engineering firms say they will consider moving jobs out of the UK if Brexit makes it more difficult to move staff around Europe, an Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) member survey – which revealed that Brexit is ‘casting a shadow over the UK construction industry’ – suggests.
ACE, representing the interests of professional consultancy and engineering companies in the UK, believes the sector will be ‘hit hard’ if access to the European single market is not maintained postthe UK leaving the EU. It said: “The Government has already been made aware that the UK construction industry could lose over 175,000 EU workers – or 8% of the sector’s workforce. Hence our research, conducted in conjunction with leading UK law firm, Penningtons Manches, to clarify the contribution made to the consultancy and engineering sector by EU nationals.”
An ACE report, The Effect of EU Migration on the UK Consultancy and Engineering Sector Post Brexit, launched at a House of Common reception, presents data on the impact of EU migration on the sector. Among its conclusions are:
- On average, 10% of consultancy and engineering firms’ staff are from EU member states, higher than the construction industry average of 6%
- 67% of EU staff work in London and the south-east, again higher than the industry average.
- 83% of EU nationals in consultancy and engineering firms are aged 30-39, which makes them older then the industry average
- EU nationals have been used to help manage the UK’s engineering skills gap.
