A new survey has claimed that the construction industry remains "cautiously optimistic" regarding its future.

The study, commissioned by the Scottish Building Federation (SBF), found that while confidence within the industry remained largely positive, this confidence had fallen in Q3 of 2014, when compared to the previous quarter.

The report said a reason for this could have been due to the uncertainty surrounding the Independence referendum earlier this year. Despite this uncertainty, 42% of those asked said they planned to increase their workforce over the next three years.

Vaughan Hart, Managing Director of the Scottish Building Federation, explained: "These survey results confirm the general decline in employment the industry has experienced over the past three years. More encouragingly, they point to growing expectations that employment will begin to recover over the next three years.

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"We've seen a decline in confidence this quarter but employers continue to be optimistic about future prospects for their business overall. I think general uncertainty created by the referendum may have had a dampening effect on confidence this quarter. I would expect to see industry confidence rebound next quarter, now that the referendum has taken place."

Elsewhere, the survey found that the average age of those working in the construction sector is now 40, with the SBF saying this, alongside the reduction in employment, would continue to cause challenges within the industry as it bounces back from the recession.

Mr Vaughn added that the number of apprentices had fallen greatly from pre-recession levels, impacting on the ageing workforce.

"It has to be a cause for concern as we seek to re-build capacity," he commented. "Attracting new blood into the industry must be an absolute priority. Proactively managing occupational health is equally important so a greater percentage of the workforce is able to keep working in the industry in good health until retirement age."

(JP/CD)