According to the Construction Skills Network (CSN) report, all sectors are expected to grow with the exception of infrastructure and industrial, which will decline following record highs.

The housing sector is set for modest growth, with public housing (1.1%) and private housing (2.0%) both on the up. Repair and maintenance of existing buildings is expected to grow, with a year on year average rise of 1.1%.

However, overall construction output in Scotland is due to contract by 0.4% annually in the five years to 2021. This negative growth is almost entirely due to the drop in the level of infrastructure activity, following the completion of several major projects such as the Queensferry Crossing.

Infrastructure levels in Scotland have operated at exceptionally high levels in recent years, accounting for 29% of output in 2015, against 15% for the UK as a whole. If infrastructure was removed from the Scottish forecast, overall output would average growth of 1% a year.

Due to the dip in projected output, a small drop in overall employment of 0.8% is expected. Despite that, an ageing workforce still means that Scotland needs thousands of new workers.

Ian Hughes, strategic partnerships director at CITB Scotland, said: “Scottish construction has had an incredible few years, with infrastructure operating at record levels. The tapering off of output in this sector leaves the forecast for Scotland flat, but the picture for individual subsectors is brighter, with most due to experience growth.

“With nearly 12,000 new workers needed over the next few years, there remain excellent, rewarding career opportunities in construction. We want to support firms in Scotland to take on apprentices, and upskill their workforce, while encouraging young people to join the industry to help construction grow in years to come.”

Ian added: “While we have factored Brexit into this forecast, there remain many unknowns to life after leaving the EU. We will be working with our industry to understand what it means for our migrant workforce and what we must do to attract and grow more of our own.”