The construction industry in the UK is being faced with a growing concern in the form of a shortage of skilled workers. The skills gap is an issue that not only threatens construction project deadlines and increases costs, but also that slows the nation’s economic growth.
The government has raised the national housing target, now aiming to build 1.5 million homes in 5 years. To meet this goal, the construction sector must figure out how to draw in 250,000 workers by 2028 according to CITB, close the skills gap, and use technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence to improve productivity and fill gaps in the workforce.
Training is the only solution in the long run, even though automation and hiring foreign labour might both help close the gap in the short term.
Whilst automation and hiring international workers may both help to plug the gap in the short term, over the long term, training is the only answer.
Understanding the construction skills gap
It may be tempting to point the finger at Brexit. The roots of the construction skills gap are much deeper. Brexit and COVID19 simply exacerbated pre-existing issues. What’s more, the construction industry had three years to prepare for the impact of Brexit on its labour supply.
The truth of the matter is that the construction sector has been failing to recruit and retain workers for a long time. It is simply not seen as an attractive option compared to its competition. There are several reasons for this but most of them hinge on the fact that construction is a cyclical job.
As the cycle peaks, businesses look to hire skilled workers. They do not want to have to spend time or money taking on trainees. As the cycle dips, businesses know that they will be entering a quiet period. They do not want to spend time and money training workers that may not be with them when the cycle peaks again.
This means that businesses typically rely on workers doing most, if not all, of their training before they are hired. The problem with this is that the cyclical nature of the construction industry can make people reluctant to invest time and money in training for it.
Key factors widening the skills gap
Lack of investment in training
Construction companies are not investing in training, skilling and professional development sufficiently. This has led to a skills gap especially within the mid-management level. Without investment and resources to support professional development, companies are unable to develop their talent pools and therefore decrease workforce adaptability in an industry that is constantly changing.
Health and safety concerns
Hesitation to offer work experience or on-site opportunities due to concerns and wariness around health and safety compliance. This lack of exposure and experience limits young people’s understanding of the industry, confidence in pursuing the career and ultimately reduces the number of entrants to the industry.
Aging workforce
35% of the construction industry’s workforce is aged 50 or over, however only 7.8% of the workforce is ages 18-25. The younger demographic is not entering the industry at a rate enough to replace those who are retiring, perhaps due to a lack of relevance, representation, and career guidance in schools, as well as a negative perception of the industry.
Technological advancement
As technology advances quicker than skills are being developed, a skills gap is being created in many industries. Even though technologies like robotic welding, drone site surveys, and building information modelling (BIM) are emerging and developing quickly, workers aren’t receiving the necessary training. Businesses run the risk of falling behind and widening the skills gap if they don’t adopt digital transformation.
Geographic and socioeconomic barriers
Opportunities for upskilling, like professional development and high-quality training, are not equally accessible. People who live in rural or economically disadvantaged areas are less likely to have access to transportation, training, or internet connectivity, which prevents capable people from entering or advancing in the field.
Insufficient transition from education to employment
Despite high levels of enrolment in construction-related education, only 30% go on to enter the industry roles after completing their Level 1 or 2 course, whilst the other 70% move into other industries or fall out of employment. There is a substantial gap between training in construction and potential employment outcomes which raises questions about employer engagement, progression, and value of early-stage qualifications.
The impact of Brexit
When the UK was still in the EU, the supply of seasonal workers from overseas helped to counterbalance the cyclical nature of construction. Now, those workers no longer have the automatic right to work in the UK.
The UK government may still choose to offer them short-term visas as a stop-gap measure. Over the long term, however, the construction industry will need to build its own supply of UK-based labour. It may choose to combine this with automation. Realistically, however, there is a limit to how much automation can achieve in construction.
Automation works best when used for repetitive tasks in stable environments. Construction may involve repetitive tasks. The environment, however, is far from stable. This is particularly true in countries like the UK where the weather can be extremely challenging. Automation also tends to depend on infrastructure that is often lacking on construction sites.
Training the UK’s workforce
The UK cannot go on relying on its existing skilled workers. Even if they were willing and able to work 24/7/365, they will move out of their trade eventually. When they do, there will need to be trained workers ready to replace them.
To prevent long-term strain on the current workforce, it is essential to accelerate the training and onboarding of new tradespeople. This means prioritising apprenticeships, expanding access to National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), and ensuring Continued Professional Development (CPD) training is available across all career stages.
It is crucial that new tradespeople are trained as quickly as possible. For this to happen, however, there needs to be both people wanting to be trained and the facilities to train them. The construction industry, therefore, must address both points as a priority. Investment is needed in training centres, qualified instructors, and up-to-date equipment that reflects modern construction methods and technologies.
It may be helpful to do so in partnership with the government. If necessary, however, the industry should proceed on its own. The quicker the industry can recruit new workers, the quicker it can lighten the load on the existing ones.
Training the workforce to meet this challenge head-on is about creating a sustainable, future-ready workforce that can meet the changing demands of the construction industry, not just about filling vacancies and earning certificates.
35% of the construction industry’s workforce is aged 50 or over, however only 7.8% of the workforce is ages 18-25.
Maximising government-backed initiatives
The labour shortage and skills gap are addressed in part by government programs and policies. In order to address the skills shortages in the construction industry, the UK government has committed £600 million, with the goal of training an extra 60,000 workers by 2029. The development of new technical colleges, the promotion of credentials like T-Levels, and the extension of fundamental construction courses are all part of this initiative.
To help ease the crisis, the government also offers tax breaks to businesses that invest in the education and training of their employees and consistently supports the Apprenticeship Levy.
The industry is becoming increasingly concerned about the time needed to successfully upskill workers through apprenticeships, despite the fact that these programs are meant to strengthen the domestic workforce. Considering the long history of relying upon EU workers in the UK to satisfy the changing demand of the sector, there is still some scepticism from industry leaders around government ambitions to cut down on its reliance on migrant workers.
While businesses within the sector are encouraged to take advantage of government funding opportunities, grants and apprenticeship funding, industry voices argue that more focused, targeted action is needed to meet the current and future labour demands.
Building skills to build safety
There are serious health and safety implications of the skills shortages in construction. Inexperienced or undertrained workers are more prone to making mistakes and less likely to be aware of regulations, meaning, there is a greater risk of accidents on site as well as long term risks to building safety.
Without a trained and skilled workforce, safety standards can slip, exposing workers and the public to risk. Investing in quality apprenticeships, NVQs, CPD training, and professional health and safety training is fundamental to ensure safe, compliant and quality construction.
Ultimately, closing the skills gap therefore is not just about productivity, but about strengthening safety for both workers and the public.
Conclusion
The construction skills gap is a key issue that affects productivity, health and safety, and the UK’s ability to achieve its housing and infrastructure goals. Although government initiatives can provide essential support, any long-term solutions are dependent on industry-led investment in training, including health and safety training, apprenticeships, NVQs, and CPD.
The industry needs to act now to attract, train and retain new talent in order to close the skills gap and develop a sustainable, safe, and future-ready workforce.
