THE construction industry must haul itself into the 21st Century in an effort to end a chronic labour shortage, an industry leader said.

Businesses are so pre-occupied with employing men that they are alienating 50 per cent of the population - a situation which is detrimental, according to chairman of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Sir Michael Latham.

He said: "The North-East needs to take action to make sure it has a young, dynamic and skilled workforce for the future."

Speaking during a visit to Darlington College of Technology, Sir Michael said: "We need the industry to look more like Britain, and Britain is not all male and white. We can no longer afford to ignore 50 per cent of the population."

Nationally, the building trade generates £2.9bn a year but needs to recruit 300,000 staff over the next four years to meet Government targets to build hospitals, houses and schools.

In the North-East, there are 5,200 businesses employing 79,000 people with more than 2,500 workers still needed to meet demand.

But local tradesmen are being lured from the region to the South-East by the promise of £1,200-per-week wages, working on lucrative projects such as Heathrow's Terminal 5.

Work is already under way at the college to attract more women to construction courses, anything from bricklaying, plumbing and plastering to site management, quantity surveying and architecture.

Sarah Farley, college principal and chief executive, said: "It is really important to promote the construction industry to women as a worthwhile career. We are working with our partners, including the Careers Service and schools, to encourage girls as well as boys to experience the various building trades and professions."

Also visiting the college was president of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Stuart Henderson.

Darlington College of Technology is the only provider of CIOB courses between Newcastle and Leeds, and Mr Henderson welcomed its plans to move to a £30m purpose built site.

He said the college had a key role to play in transforming the image of the industry to attract new blood: "All too often it is seen as the poor relation and all too often it is the poor relation. Here is the opportunity for a 21st Century advanced technical centre to encourage more students to choose construction as a worthwhile career."