Across the construction industry, experienced professionals are retiring faster than new talent is entering the workforce. At the same time, demand for housing, infrastructure and energy projects continues to grow. The result is a widening gap between the skills the industry needs and the people available to deliver them.
The obvious answer is to recruit more people, but attracting talent is only one part of the solution. The bigger question is how we transfer decades of experience, practical knowledge and industry expertise to the next generation before it’s lost.
For years, construction has faced a perception problem. Too many young people still see the industry as a last resort rather than a career of choice. Yet modern construction offers opportunities across engineering, logistics, manufacturing, design, technology, commercial functions and project delivery. Many of these roles provide clear career progression without requiring a traditional university route.
Changing these perceptions must start early.
Businesses, educators and industry bodies need to work together to show young people what today’s construction sector really looks like. Just as importantly, we need to engage parents, teachers and careers advisers, who often have significant influence over the decisions young people make. If we want more people to choose construction, we need to do a better job of telling the industry’s story.
Apprenticeships have an especially important role to play in addressing the challenge. Although perceptions are improving, they are still sometimes viewed as an alternative to higher education, rather than a valuable pathway in their own right. The reality is very different. Today’s apprenticeships can provide progression from entry-level qualifications through to degree-level education, combining academic learning with real-world experience. They create opportunities for individuals to earn as they go, learn on the job and build meaningful careers at the same time.
This year, MGF was proud to be recognised as Apprentice Employer of the Year by the University of Salford, reflecting a long-standing commitment to developing talent through structured engineering apprenticeship pathways. However, the wider point is that apprenticeships represent one of the most effective tools available to our industry. They allow businesses to develop future skills while giving individuals a clear route into rewarding careers.
While our Grass Routes programme has focused on supporting future engineers through qualifications up to degree level, we’re also exploring how apprenticeships can strengthen talent pipelines across other areas of the business. Opportunities within roles such as welding and fabrication, yard operations, administration, hire desk controllers, HGV driving and technical sales have the potential to attract new entrants to the industry while helping to address skills shortages in areas that are equally critical to the successful delivery of projects. Construction’s skills gap won’t be solved by focusing on one profession alone; it requires investment across the breadth of the sector.
However, attracting people into the sector is only half the battle. The construction industry has always relied on learning by doing. Technical skills can be taught, but many of the lessons that shape successful careers come from experience. That’s why mentoring, coaching and structured development programmes are becoming increasingly important. Knowledge sharing should not be left to chance, instead, it needs to be built into the way organisations operate.
At MGF, we’ve seen the value of this first-hand. Our new starters are encouraged to learn from colleagues across the business, take ownership of tasks, participate in problem-solving, and develop leadership skills. Alongside this, we operate mentoring and buddy systems that help transfer knowledge from experienced professionals to new entrants. Apprentices work alongside seasoned engineers and specialists, gaining practical insight that simply cannot be replicated in a classroom. This approach not only helps individuals develop faster, but it also strengthens the resilience of the organisation by ensuring critical skills are shared across generations.
Of course, the skills gap cannot be solved by any one organisation acting alone. Collaboration between employers, training providers, universities, schools and industry bodies will be critical. The more opportunities we create for people to understand career progression within construction, the more likely we are to attract and retain the talent the industry needs.
The construction industry has always been built on the knowledge of those who came before us. The challenge now is making sure that knowledge doesn’t leave faster than it’s being passed on. Recruitment will always be important, but the businesses that thrive in the years ahead will be those that invest just as heavily in developing, mentoring and retaining the people they already have. We often ask who will build tomorrow… The answer depends on what we’re doing today to pass on the knowledge, skills and confidence that the next generation will need to succeed.
For more information or media enquiries, please email marketing@mgf.co.uk.Â
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