Labour Forecasting Tool

The CITB Labour Forecasting Tool (LFT) is an online application that can forecast labour needs for a range of construction projects, including: 

• Housing (timber and non-timber)
• Infrastructure
• Schools (steel and non-steel)
• Highways
• Commercial (office and retail)
• Housing refurbishment, repair and maintenance
• Non Housing refurbishment repair and maintenance 

The LFT builds upon our ability to forecast skills and employment needs, which are predicted on a monthly basis by looking at a project’s value and start/completion dates. 

Benefits

 The LFT will give you evidence to plan and negotiate realistic community benefits arising from skills and training requirements on construction projects. 

It will provide you with real data created through a sound methodology, backed up by actual project information to ensure your skills and training requirements are realistic. 

LFT subscribers receive comprehensive support to help them get the most out of the service, including: 

• Trial introductions
• On-site and remote training
• Expert project reviews
• On-line and telephone guidance from the Customer Support Team 

Key features 

The LFT has been carefully developed over the last two years to make it accessible and easy to use, while also providing forecasts that are reliable and robust. 

Its key features include: 

• Month-by-month forecasts for every trade, including the professions, based on advanced algorithms
• Forecasts that are based on historic data from past projects (so accuracy is typically better than ±10%) and updated as new data becomes available
• Data that has been statistically verified for consistency and anomalies
• The only inputs required are the value of the project, its location and the start/completion dates
• The labour profile can be varied to suit individual needs and updated as a project progresses
• The forecasts take account of time and location
• Web-based – meaning users always have access to the latest data

Who should use the LFT? 

The LFT can benefit local authorities and developers who are negotiating Section 106 agreements and other community benefits. 

It could also help: 

• Contractors programming forthcoming work
• Planning Agencies to explore the impact of concurrent regional projects
• Skills agencies and organisations to develop strategies for getting people into jobs

Client testimonial

“I recently used the Labour Forecasting Tool to provide data relating to a potential major construction project. The service was efficient and professional and I would recommend the LFT to contractors and clients as a quick but detailed solution regarding assessing employment and skills requirements during the construction phase of a project.”

Richard Chiverton, Director, Innovatus Ltd

Contact us

The LFT has been developed by CITB and is available through the Industry Analysis & Forecasting Team, in partnership with Whole Life Consultants. For more information about how the LFT could help you, please contact either:

Ian Hill, CITB
Email: ian.hill@citb.co.uk

Doug Forbes, Whole Life Consultants Limited
Email: doug.forbes@wlcuk.com.