The UK construction industry has faced recruitment challenges for years, but the scale of its future workforce requirements highlights just how important attracting and retaining skilled people will become.

From major infrastructure projects and new housing developments to refurbishment, utilities and building maintenance, the industry needs a broad range of workers to deliver projects across the country.

A recent Skills England assessment identifies approximately one million additional and replacement workforce requirements across 30 priority occupations by 2035. While this figure should not be interpreted as one million entirely new construction jobs, it demonstrates the scale of the challenge facing the sector.

For contractors, housebuilders and recruitment businesses, the question is becoming increasingly important. Where will the next generation of construction workers come from, and how can the industry ensure it has the people needed to deliver future projects?

Why Does Construction Need So Many Workers?

Construction workforce demand is driven by several factors, and it isn't simply a case of needing more people to build new homes. The UK has significant requirements across housing, infrastructure, energy, utilities and the maintenance of existing buildings.

At the same time, experienced workers continue to retire or leave the industry, creating replacement requirements alongside demand generated by new projects. This means construction employers face two challenges simultaneously: attracting new entrants and retaining the knowledge and experience already within their workforce.

For many businesses, replacing an experienced Site Manager, Engineer or skilled tradesperson can be just as challenging as recruiting additional workers for a new project. The industry therefore needs to consider both immediate recruitment requirements and its longer-term workforce pipeline.

Housebuilding Will Continue to Drive Demand

Housing remains one of the most important areas of UK construction. The Government's ambition to increase housing delivery places considerable attention on the ability of housebuilders and their supply chains to deliver new developments.

However, increasing the number of homes being built requires more than land, planning permission and investment. It also requires people.

Groundworkers are needed to prepare sites and install drainage and infrastructure. Bricklayers, carpenters and roofers are essential throughout the construction process, while electricians, plumbers, plasterers and decorators complete the internal works.

Alongside these trades, housebuilders rely on Site Managers, Assistant Site Managers, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers and Contracts Managers to coordinate projects.

If construction activity increases without a corresponding improvement in workforce availability, contractors could face additional pressure on labour supply, project programmes and costs.

The success of future housebuilding programmes will depend heavily on the industry's ability to attract and retain skilled workers.

Major Infrastructure Projects Will Need Specialist Skills

Housebuilding is only one part of the picture. Across the UK, investment in transport, utilities, water infrastructure and energy projects is expected to create ongoing requirements for civil engineering and technical construction skills.

These projects often require specialist workers, including Groundworkers, Plant Operators, Civil Engineers, Site Engineers, Supervisors, Project Managers and Quantity Surveyors.

Infrastructure programmes can also involve complex delivery schedules and geographically dispersed projects, making workforce planning particularly important.

For civil engineering contractors, having access to people with the appropriate qualifications, experience and site competencies can be critical.

As multiple major programmes compete for similar skills, employers may need to think carefully about how they attract workers and maintain continuity across their projects.

An Ageing Workforce Creates Another Challenge

One of the industry's longer-term concerns is the loss of experienced workers through retirement. Construction relies heavily on practical knowledge developed over years of working on site. Experienced tradespeople and managers often play an important role in training younger workers, resolving problems and maintaining quality and safety standards.

When those individuals leave the industry, employers lose more than a pair of hands. They can also lose valuable technical knowledge, leadership experience and mentoring capability.

This highlights why succession planning and skills development should be priorities for construction businesses. Encouraging experienced workers to pass on their knowledge, while providing opportunities for younger employees to progress, could help reduce the impact of future retirements.

Apprenticeships and Training Will Be Essential

If the construction industry is to meet its future workforce requirements, encouraging younger people into the sector will be essential. Apprenticeships offer an opportunity to develop practical skills while gaining experience in a working environment.

For employers, they provide a way to develop workers who understand their business, safety procedures and approach to project delivery.

There are encouraging signs. In May 2026, CITB reported that its New Entrant Support Team had supported 5,913 apprenticeship starts during the 2025–26 financial year, a 43% increase on the previous year.

However, attracting people into training is only part of the solution. The industry must also ensure apprentices receive meaningful site experience, appropriate supervision and opportunities to progress into long-term employment. Without these opportunities, increasing training numbers alone will not necessarily translate into a larger, more experienced workforce.

Could Career Changers Help Close the Gap?

One potential solution is encouraging more people to consider construction as a second career. The industry offers opportunities beyond traditional trades, including project coordination, site administration, logistics, health and safety, engineering support and management.

People working in manufacturing, warehousing, engineering and other industries may already possess skills that are relevant to construction employers. Former Armed Forces personnel are another group worth considering, particularly where they have experience in leadership, engineering, logistics or operational management.

While additional qualifications or training may be necessary, recognising transferable skills could help businesses access candidates who might otherwise be overlooked. 

Retaining Experienced Workers Is Just as Important

Attracting new workers is essential, but construction employers cannot afford to overlook the people already working in the industry.

Experienced tradespeople, supervisors and managers are fundamental to successful project delivery. Businesses that offer competitive remuneration, reliable working arrangements, career development and supportive working environments may be better positioned to retain their teams.

For construction professionals, opportunities to progress into supervisory or management positions can provide a reason to remain within the sector. Employers should also consider how they can retain experienced workers who may no longer wish to undertake physically demanding site roles but could contribute through training, supervision or mentoring.

Developing new talent and retaining existing experience need to happen together.

What Do the Latest Figures Tell Us?

The scale of future demand becomes clearer when looking at recent industry research.

493,000

Projected additional workers across 30 priority construction occupations by 2035

595,000

Estimated replacement requirements in those occupations over the same periodSkills England's October 2026 Construction Skills Needs Assessment. Together, these figures represent approximately 1.09 million projected workforce requirements, rather than one million new jobs.

Meanwhile, CITB's Construction Workforce Outlook 2026–2030 estimates that the UK construction industry will need an average of 41,200 extra workers annually over the five-year period.

These forecasts use different periods and methodologies, but both demonstrate the importance of long-term workforce planning.

What Should Construction Employers Be Doing Now?

Although 2035 may seem some distance away, recruitment challenges cannot be addressed overnight. Developing a skilled tradesperson, experienced engineer or capable Site Manager takes time.

Contractors should therefore be thinking about their future workforce requirements alongside their current projects. This could involve identifying roles that are consistently difficult to recruit for, developing existing employees, supporting apprenticeships and considering candidates from related industries.

Flexible workforce planning will also remain important. Construction workloads can fluctuate considerably depending on project starts, funding, seasonal requirements and client demand.

For many businesses, maintaining access to reliable temporary workers alongside a strong permanent workforce can help them respond to changing requirements.

Supporting the Construction Industry at Approach Personnel

At Approach Personnel, we understand the challenges contractors face when recruiting skilled workers.

Working across housebuilding, civil engineering, utilities, fit-out, refurbishment and general construction, we support businesses with both temporary and permanent recruitment requirements.

We recognise that workforce planning is about more than meeting today's demands. As the industry prepares for future growth, employers will need access to experienced professionals while continuing to develop the next generation of construction talent.

Our recruitment teams work with businesses across the UK to identify suitable workers, respond to changing project requirements and support longer-term hiring needs.

Where Will the Next Million Construction Workers Come From?

The latest workforce projections highlight both a challenge and an opportunity for UK construction. There is significant potential for future activity across housing, infrastructure, utilities and building maintenance, but delivering that work will depend on the availability of skilled people.

Apprenticeships, training, career changes, workforce retention and improved recruitment practices will all have a part to play.

There is unlikely to be one solution that addresses every workforce challenge.

Instead, construction employers, training providers and recruitment businesses will need to work together to attract new talent while making better use of the skills already available.

The question is not simply where the next generation of construction workers will come from, but what the industry can do today to ensure those workers are ready for tomorrow.

At Approach Personnel, we're committed to supporting contractors with the skilled tradespeople, site operatives and construction professionals they need to deliver projects successfully.

If you're planning upcoming projects or looking to strengthen your workforce, contact our team to discuss your temporary or permanent recruitment requirements.