The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has warned of a ticking construction skills time bomb with skills shortages on the increase across a number of trades and professions.

Results from the FMB’s latest State of Trade Survey for Q4 2014 show small construction firms are experiencing particular difficulties recruiting carpenters, joiners and bricklayers.

However the survey also revealed an increase in confidence among Scottish firms.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said thousands of workers leaving the sector coupled with an increase in workloads will mean the skill shortage “getting worse before it gets better”.

He said: “As the shock waves from the latest economic downturn continue to reverberate through the construction sector, concerns over diminished workloads have been replaced by concerns over skills shortages.

“This time last year, only 27 per cent of firms were struggling to recruit bricklayers – that figure now stands at a sizeable 42 per cent. For carpenters and joiners, the figure has nearly doubled with 23 per cent of firms reporting issues in Q4 2013 and 44 per cent of firms now saying these tradespeople are hard to come by. We’re also seeing a rising and significant shortage of roofers, plasterers and site managers.”

Berry added: “The skills time bomb has arisen for a number of reasons. Around 400,000 construction workers left the industry since the downturn hit in 2007 and many will never return. If you combine this with an increase in workloads as the economy recovers, all the signs point to the skills shortage getting worse before it gets better.”

Berry called on ministers to review its proposed apprenticeship funding reforms which he said prevents members from being able to train apprentices.

“In the midst of a skills crisis, it’s the last thing the construction industry needs,” he said.

Confidence among Scottish firms, a figure determined by workload, expected workload and enquiries, moved back into positive territory as it improved by 9 percentage points to +4.

Around a quarter of weighted responses were negative, down from 29 per cent while the proportion of weighted responses which were positive rose to 29 per cent from 24 per cent. Approximately 46 per cent of weighted responses were neutral, marginally down on the 47 per cent in the previous quarter.

Earlier this week, FMB said at least 30,000 new homes a year need to be built in Scotland to tackle the country’s housing crisis.

The trade body said only half the number of new homes needed were being built, and called on ministers to adopt the ambitious annual target until 2020.

The Scottish Government has committed to delivering 30,000 affordable new homes in the lifetime of the current parliament. However, a significantly more ambitious programme would have to be initiated if the FMB target is to be met.