Why English Construction is Struggling to Hire and How to Fix It

If you’re running a construction firm in England right now, you don’t need a spreadsheet to tell you there’s a problem. You see it every time a site manager calls to say a subcontractor has been poached for an extra £2 an hour, or when a high-value tender sits gathering dust because you simply don’t have the headcount to deliver it.
The numbers from the British Chambers of Commerce are eye-opening: 82% of construction firms are struggling to hire. With the government’s target of 1.5 million new homes looming, the skills gap has officially become a delivery crisis.
Here’s the breakdown of why the talent pool has dried up and some practical moves to fix it.

Why is it so hard to find good people?

It’s easy to play the blame game, but the reality is a bit more nuanced. We’re facing a perfect storm of three major issues:
• The retirement cliff: Construction has an aging workforce. According to the CITB, over a third of workers are over 50. We are losing decades of master trade experience faster than we can train young people to replace them.
• The dirty job myth: The industry has a PR problem. Many school-leavers still see construction as mud and manual labour, ignoring the fact that modern sites use drones, 3D modelling and sophisticated project management software.
The post-2016 shocker: For years, the UK relied on a steady flow of skilled European labour. Since the shift to a points-based immigration system, that tap has been turned off, leaving a massive hole in boots on the ground trades like bricklaying and dry lining.

3 ways to win the war for talent

If you can’t find the people, you have to change the game. Here’s how forward-thinking English firms are staying ahead:

• Stop building the old way

If you can’t find ten bricklayers, find a way to build that only requires two. Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), like modular, off-site manufacturing, are no longer just for experimental projects. By moving work into factories, you can hire from a broader labour pool (people who prefer a fixed location and regular hours) and speed up site delivery.

Check out: Companies like Laing O’Rourke are already leading the charge with Design for Manufacture, proving that tech can fill the gap where hands are missing.

• Cast a wider net

Construction is still roughly 85% male. If you’re only recruiting from half the population, you’re making your own life twice as difficult. Firms that actively recruit women, career-changers, and veterans aren’t just doing it for box-ticking, they are tapping into the only growing talent pools left.

Pro Tip: Look into the National Association of Construction Frameworks (NACF) guidelines on Social Value to see how diversifying your team can actually help you win more public sector contracts.

• Grow your own (the right way)

The Apprenticeship Levy can be a headache, but it’s the most sustainable way to build a loyal team. Instead of just hiring someone to help out, partner with local colleges to create a clear career path. Show a 19-year-old that they can go from apprentice to site manager or BIM technician in five years, and they’ll stay.

Resource: The CITB’s New Entrant Support Team is a great place to start if the paperwork feels overwhelming.

The bottom line

We need roughly 250,000 more workers by 2028 just to keep the lights on. The firms that will survive this decade are the ones that stop waiting for the old days of easy labour to return and start embracing tech, diversity, and better training.

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