“Huge barriers still need overcoming” in encouraging young people into construction

Craig Sanders, the joint managing director at East Midlands-based premium power tool supplier, Protrade, says the construction industry still has huge barriers to overcome following the release of the company’s latest state of construction apprenticeships report.

The fresh analysis of Government data revealed that there has been a 5% decrease in the uptake of construction apprenticeships across the UK in the last 12 months, with the latest decline highlighting the sector’s continuing struggle to entice people into the industry, amid the skills shortage crisis.

Slightly more encouraging news within the figures was that female and ethnic minorities starting apprenticeships in the sector have hit their highest levels, according to new data. Nearly 10% of the total number was made up of women, while 8% was made up of ethnic minorities.

A decade ago, the UK government set a target of 3 million apprenticeship starts in England between 2015 and 2020, focusing on sectors such as engineering, construction, and ICT. However, given the sector’s continuing struggle to meet its target, the Construction Industry Training Body (CITB) suggests that approximately 45,000 people would need to join the sector every year for the next five years to meet the growing demand.

Forecasts indicate that the UK will have the fastest-growing construction market of the major Western European economies over the next 15 years. The sector was estimated to have hit £381 billion in revenue in 2023 alone.

Analysing the latest data set, Craig Sanders, Joint Managing Director at Protrade, said: “While there is an acknowledgement that more needs to be done to raise awareness of a career in construction, there remain barriers that need overcoming. There is still a notable lack of sector-specific focus within settings like education. It's crucial to enhance awareness of construction college opportunities and foster a more accessible approach.

“The construction industry needs to ask itself the question as to whether it is setting the bar too high for entry-level positions, particularly when it comes to high academic requirements. We’re in danger of unintentionally excluding valuable talent by setting impossibly high standards as we compete with other job opportunities in different sectors that have become more favourable.

“Contrary to outdated perceptions, today's construction industry is cleaner and safer. We need to dispel the lingering notion of it being a 'dirty' environment and encourage a fresh perspective among potential apprentices."

The state of construction apprenticeships: a deeper analysis

When analysing the last five years of apprenticeship uptake within construction, data shows that very little progress has been made since 2018.

As previously alluded to in this report, approximately 22,700 people took up apprenticeship positions in construction between 2022-23, representing a decline year-on-year when compared to 2021-22 figures which were at their highest over the last five years.

The average construction apprenticeship role uptake in the UK over the last five years (2018-2023):

• 2018-19 = 22,530

• 2019-20 = 21,920 (-2% drop)

• 2020-21 = 19,960 (-8% drop)

• 2021-22 = 26,060 (+30% increase)

• 2022-23 = 24,530 (-5% drop)

Analysing the above, the data shows the sector has almost come full circle.

After the expected decline in apprenticeship roles taken up during COVID-19, there was an equally significant recovery. But despite the initial spike, the sector continues to trail below the level required to meet the demand borne by the growing skills gap crisis, which is highlighted by another report in 2023 suggesting that there were as many as 140,000 construction and trades vacancies in the UK. Furthermore, a survey by recruitment specialist Search Consultancy found that 83% of businesses within the construction industry are currently feeling the strain from a lack of skilled workers.

When analysing the top 100 most popular apprenticeship roles taken up between 2022-23, it was clear that construction-relevant roles lag behind areas such as data analysis, early years education, accounting, and digital technology.

Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician (29th) was the most popular construction-relevant position taken up, according to recent data, narrowly ahead of Bricklayer (34th). Supply Chain Warehouse Operatives and Engineering Operatives also feature in the top 100 list.

Read the full State of Construction Apprenticeships report here.