Sara Roberts, chief services officer of housing and construction training provider, Kingdom Academy, discusses how bridging the skills gap is essential for the future of the construction industry.
Amidst a wider labour market downturn, the construction industry has seen vacancies fall towards the end of last year, in its third fastest monthly decline according to a survey by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).
Yet, even when there are vacancies in the industry, it seems a lack of skilled workers makes filling them increasingly tricky. It’s reported that over 140,000 job vacancies are stalling essential housing and infrastructure projects up and down the UK. And despite skilled trades making up one tenth of England’s workforce, it’s clear that the industry is facing a deepening skills crisis that will make government and industry-wide targets difficult to achieve.
An ageing workforce is threatening the industry
According to a report from Places for People, it is predicted that by 2035, over one-third of construction workers will retire, with an ageing workforce placing further considerable pressure on the growing skills gap. With just 20% of the workforce under 30, and one million additional construction workers needed in the next six years alone, the statistics paint a rather bleak picture if there is not significant investment in upskilling, training, and attracting more people into the construction industry.
Upskilling is essential to ensure industry efficiency, faster housebuilding, knowledge transfer, and to make career pathways more attractive to younger generations, who seek roles that don’t just pay but also teach valuable career skills. The government has said it has plans to invest £600m to create up to 60,000 more engineers, bricklayers, electricians, and joiners by 2029 to tackle skills shortages – but many question whether this will be enough to stem the mass exodus of older workers from the sector.
Whilst recent planning reforms, such as changes to building on brownfield sites, around train stations, more blocks of flats, and cutting costs and delays for housebuilders, will hopefully boost housebuilding, without tackling the skills gap, there won’t be enough workers to deliver all these new projects. Investing in bridging the gap – as well as addressing the knowledge transfer that needs to occur between workers nearing retirement and those entering the industry – is essential now to build a sustainable workforce for the years to come.
As well as meeting current regulations, the UK will also need future skilled workers in the construction industry to meet its net-zero commitments. With the delivery of objectives for cleaner energy by 2030 and more buildings retrofitted with insulation and greener heating/cooling by 2050, the industry needs to start tackling the skills gap now to build an efficient and effective workforce over the coming decades.
A reduction in construction workers also impacts social housing and housing staff by stalling affordable housing projects, repairs, refurbishments, and putting additional pressure on existing housing staff, who are already stretched amid a skills shortage and a need to professionalise. Likewise, if solving the construction skills crisis leads to a housebuilding boom, we need to ensure there is an efficient and effective housing team ready from day one.
As the country looks towards the pledge to build 1.5m new homes by 2029, staff attraction and retention should be seen not just as critical, but as the first stepping stone to a stronger, more resilient workforce. Each year, the construction and housing industries continue to lose more of their workforce, and these leavers need to be replaced, as well as additional people hired. The looming retirement bubble will make it a challenge for the country’s construction workforce to get through the next decade, so it is crucial to consider what will attract younger generations into the industry.
The construction industry will benefit in several ways
As well as driving growth, professionalising the sector and plugging the skills gap in construction has a number of other benefits. For one, new technologies are being introduced every day in many industries, including construction. Ensuring workers can adapt and learn quickly is crucial to building efficiently and effectively.
Upskilling is also crucial for health and safety on construction sites. Whilst health and safety on construction sites have greatly improved in recent years, due to stronger regulations and greater awareness, these professions still have higher injury rates than other professions. By training staff more effectively, this will improve health and safety on-site, reduce the risks of injuries, and therefore improve staff wellbeing and retention. For future generations, the construction industry needs to be seen as a safe place to work that protects their well-being.
Ultimately, it is crucial that the industry takes urgent action to attract, train, and retain a new generation of workers. From rethinking how construction careers are promoted to improving access to high-quality training and progression routes, the future of UK housebuilding depends on building a workforce that is fit for demand.
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