The UK construction industry is facing a severe skills crisis, with three-quarters of firms unable to recruit the skilled workers they need-a figure that throws into serious doubt the government’s goal to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029. According to recent City & Guilds research, 84% of sector leaders believe the industry faces a critical shortage of expertise and 54% express little confidence that government housing and net zero targets can be met without swift action to address this deficit.

Fears for the future

The situation is exacerbated by an ageing workforce, a lack of new talent and an annual haemorrhage of around 50,000 skilled workers as many approach retirement. The problem extends beyond construction workers and includes those in builders merchants jobs and other parts of the supply chain. The Construction Industry Training Board projects that 239,300 new recruits will be needed by 2029 just to meet housing demand. This appears beyond reach in the context of today’s recruitment and retention difficulties.

Causes of the shortage

The increasing scarcity of labour is caused by several factors. Rising business costs have been cited by nearly half of employers as a major obstacle, while local labour market shortages, the demand for job-ready hires, the industry’s unappealing image and declining interest among young people all present significant recruitment challenges.

In addition, stricter immigration laws-including a higher Immigration Skills Charge-now restrict the sector’s ability to source workers from overseas. Recruitment agencies such as https://bmcareers.com/distributors-and-builders-merchants-vacancies are pushing hard to turn the tanker around, but their contribution alone can only go so far.

The importance of training

Access to funded training is another blockage: 61% of employees say it is difficult to obtain. 85% see training as crucial for career progression, and 59% call for more training opportunities to attract new entrants. City & Guilds and industry leaders urge urgent reforms-especially greater flexibility in schemes like the Apprenticeship Levy-and targeted investment in apprenticeships and vocational pathways. Attracting young talent, supporting career changers and upskilling the existing workforce are the industry’s priorities for bridging the skills gap and securing the future of construction.