In the past few weeks we have been talking about the positive outlook for Welsh construction. But we need to take the good news with a pinch of salt. It is great that estimates from groups such as the CITB indicate that the Welsh construction industry will grow at the fastest rate in the UK up to 2020. In fact, it is worth stressing that according to CITB, the sector in Wales is predicted to have an annual average growth rate in output of 7.1%, compared with 2.5 % for the rest of the UK between 2016 and 2020.

Much of this is fuelled by projects such as Wylfa and ideas like the Swansea Lagoon. But all of these schemes take a long time to gather momentum. What’s more, only a week ago there was gloom and doom about skills shortages from RICS.

The news is that this is not news for construction. The industry is the first to be hit in a recession and often the slowest to recover – just when the country needs us most as the enabler for societal, environmental and economic change. But we will get there.

To be the industry Wales needs we have to work together. That’s why in last week’s Western Mail CEW made the call for even more of an emphasis on collaborative working and the pursuit of long term values and not a return to short term cost savings. We have to plan, design, procure and deliver with a holistic view of what the industry builds and engineers. It means learning from each other. It means sharing ideas. It means adhering to best practice values.