Labour Forecasting Tool

What is the Labour Forecasting Tool (LFT)?

The Labour Forecasting Tool is an exciting new development commissioned by ConstructionSkills which builds upon our ability to forecast skills needs. The LFT is a web-based application for forecasting labour needs on a whole range of construction projects (including housing (timber and non-timber), schools (steel and non-steel), highways, commercial (office and retail), housing refurbishment repair and maintenance and non-housing refurbishment repair and maintenance). The labour needs are predicted throughout the entire course of a project on a month-by-month basis, given no more than the value of the project and its start and end dates.

Why is the LFT useful?

The LFT will give you an "evidence base" upon which to plan and negotiate realistic community benefits arising from, and skills & training requirements of, construction projects. It will provide you with real data which has been created based upon a sound methodology and backed up by actual project information which will ensure the skill and training requirement on construction projects are realistic. Thus influencing targeted training and recruitment policies.

Who should use the LFT?

• Local authorities and developers in negotiating Section 106 agreements and other community benefits
• Contractors in programming forthcoming work
• Planning agencies in exploring the impact of concurrent regional projects
• Skills agencies and organisations in developing strategies for getting people into jobs

What is unique about the LFT?

The Labour Forecasting Tool has been carefully developed over the last two years. This has ensured that the tool is easily accessible, easy to use, and produces forecasts that are reliable and robust at minimum cost. Its key features are:

• Forecasts are provided on a month-by-month basis for every trade including the professions
• Forecasts are based on real historic data from past projects, so accuracy is typically better than ±10%.
• Forecasts are continuously calibrated as new data becomes available
• Data is statistically verified for consistency and anomalies
• The only data inputs required are the value of the project, its start and dates and its location.
• Labour flow profile throughout a project can be varied to suit individual needs or updated as a project progresses
• Forecasts take account of time and location
• Forecasts are based on advanced algorithms for monthly predictions
• The tool is web-based meaning that users always have access to the latest data
• Low cost forecasts

Download information

A one-page summary of the LFT can be downloaded by clicking on the icon.

Sample forecasting

A sample of the input data required and the type of report available can be downloaded using the links below.

Download a sample Labour Forecast Request Form by clicking on the icon.

Download a sample Report on Labour Forecasting by clicking on the icon.

Request a new forecast

To use our forecast request service, a blank request form can be downloaded by clicking on the icon.

Further Details

For more information on the labour forecasting tool, please contact Dr Doug Forbes at doug.forbes@wlcuk.com or call 01382 224304.