Construction workforce is getting younger but churn is concern for new workers

Construction is attracting younger workers: Certification cardholder data from the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) shows that more than a quarter of cards are now held by individuals under the age of 30 – up 8% since 2021. CSCS data also shows an increase in skilled workers – with the proportion of skilled and advance workers on site having risen from 27% to 39% in two years.

 

The data is positive given longstanding concerns about an ageing workforce, skills gap and worker attrition in the construction industry. According to the National Audit Office, the construction workforce declined by 7% in the five years between 2019-20 and 2024-25.

 

Whether those young people stay in construction is another question. Industry churn is a concerning factor that requires action according to the latest Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) report, Industry Picture 2026 – published in late February.

 

Construction is a high employee turnover industry. According to research by the CITB, most new workers drop out because of early negative experiences, while those mid-career cite a lack of career progression and life-stage pressures. The CITB believes less physically intensive roles, greater flexibility and improved workplace culture could reduce churn.

 

 

According to a survey from 2017, nearly a third (28%) of new entrants to construction left because they “didn’t like it/wasn’t for me” with a nearly a fifth (19%) citing issues with their employer, college or tutor, according to the CITB. Among new entrants, 16% didn’t like the job and 11% found the pay too low.

 

The gender gap in the construction industry is also widening:  Year-on-year, the number of employed men in construction decreased by 4.0% in the final quarter of 2025 and employed women fell by 5.1%, according to analysis of ONS data by the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS).

 

The construction workforce has shrunk by my more than 300,000 workers over the past 20 years. Commenting on this contraction, Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at BCIS, said “It’s the result of several economic and political shocks occurring in succession, coupled with a slow-growth economy, inflated costs and prices and difficulties attracting and retaining future generations of workers.”

 

In 2025, the government announced £625m in investment to increase construction skills – hoping to create 50,000 more construction workers by 2029. It also announced that responsibility for apprenticeships, adult skills and Skills England would transfer to the Department for Work and Pensions.

 

The government’s plans for increasing skills include establishing 10 new Construction Technical Excellence Colleges, funding over 40,000 industry placements each year and expanding construction skills bootcamps for adult learners.

 

The CSCS research is based on their real-time view of workers on site based on card scan data. “Our digital tools provide the unique insight into who is actually working on site and who is entering the industry, based on verified registration data,” said Sean Kearns, Group Chief Executive, CSCS. “It is incredibly positive to see that young people are choosing construction as a career.”

 

Rhianna Parker, a 22 year-old environmental advisor in Scotland said construction, “is a career that’s built around real, hands-on skills that can’t be replaced by AI. While the industry is embracing new technology and greener ways of building, it still relies on people to make decisions, adapt on the ground and turn ideas into reality.”

 

“I’d always recommend construction and the Built Environment as a future proof, rewarding place for young people to build a career.”