The number of youngsters signing up for apprenticeships to become plumbers, roofers and plasterers is shrinking and a shortage of qualified craftsmen is looming, according to research by the construction industry’s economic institute.

In 2008, 2,140 people signed up for an apprenticeship in a specialised building trade but that had fallen to just 640 by 2014.

One reason for the decline is the lack of formal jobs, according to Henk Klein Poelhuis of the building contractors federation. It is more expensive to employ plasterers and plumbers than to bring them in on short-term contracts or through payrolling, he said.

The research also shows the number of specialised building firms has more than halved since 2008. There are now just 2,300 companies offering such services and employment levels have plunged 57%.