A nation-wide campaign to promote the varied and rewarding careers on offer across the UK construction sector is needed to cut unemployment, reduce the skills gap and deliver on Government housing and infrastructure ambitions, says the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
The leading professional body for construction management, has released the second edition of its ‘Attitudes to Construction Careers’ report to mark National Careers Week, which highlights positive views on construction careers amongst young people and parents, but says more needs to be done to convert that interest into people taking up jobs and training places.
It calls for a multi-channel strategic national construction recruitment campaign, similar to those for the armed forces and teaching, which is coordinated by Government with support from existing groups like the Construction Industry Training Board. CIOB says such a campaign could be funded by industry bodies, such as themselves, many of which already operate their own campaigns that would benefit from national alignment and exposure to wider audiences.
David Barnes, head of policy and public affairs at CIOB, said: “It is hugely concerning that 957,000 young people aged 16 to 24 are not in education, employment or training. We believe a national campaign showcasing the exciting and rewarding careers available in construction would inspire some to join the sector, bringing down these shocking statistics and boosting the industry to deliver the much-needed new homes and infrastructure the Government has committed to.
“The construction sector is crying out for talented people and can offer opportunities in a vast range of roles including design, surveying, project management and sustainability alongside the frontline trades. Many roles now use AI and other innovative technology, and our survey of 2,000 young people shows these are strong areas of interest for them, while we also saw a strong preference towards health and safety careers from female respondents. Unfortunately, however too many people are unaware such jobs exist within construction and the misconception that all roles are physically demanding and involve lots of time working outdoors are sadly still rife.”
CIOB’s report includes findings from a survey, first carried out in 2025 and repeated in February 2026 which found two thirds (66% 2026 and 68% 2025) of young people aged between 16 and 24 hold a positive view of construction careers but only around a third (30% 2026 and 31% 2025) would consider working in the construction sector. Almost half (45% in 2026 and 47% in 2025) said information about construction was not included in the careers advice they received whilst in education and more than a quarter (26% in 2026 and 28% in 2025) do not believe careers in construction are accessible to young people.
A survey of parents of 16-24-year-olds showed more than three quarters (75% in 2026 and 79% in 2025) would be supportive of their child working in construction. More than 40 per cent (42% in 2026 and 43% in 2025) said they would prefer their child to “earn while they learn” reflecting concerns over the well documented rising costs of university education and lack of graduate opportunities.
Around a quarter of the young people surveyed by CIOB in 2026 were aware of government initiatives such as Homebuilding Skills Hubs and Construction Skills Bootcamps, which have been introduced in the last 12 months, however awareness was lower amongst parents. CIOB says this is concerning as the survey also showed parents have the most influence on the career choices of young people and their perceptions of construction careers.
Barnes continued: “We welcome the current Government’s increased focus on scaling up recruitment in construction through the introduction of skills hubs and bootcamps. It is encouraging around a quarter of young people are aware of the schemes but that now needs to translate into uptake. This is where a campaign that also targets parents would be helpful, as awareness was much lower amongst them, and we know from the young people we surveyed that parents have a substantial influence on their career choices.
“With rising university fees parents are advocating for more earn while you learn opportunities and construction has lots to offer by way of apprenticeships and more. We regularly hear how those already in the industry get a strong sense of pride, legacy and community from the work they do and they enjoy the varied nature of an industry where no two days are the same, so we’d encourage anyone who is thinking about their future career to visit our CIOB Aspire website to find out about the range of roles available .”
Josh Nicholson, Head of Housing and Communities, Centre for Social Justice, said: “This important report shows that young people are ready, willing and keen to work in construction. But more must be done to convert interest into opportunity. For years, we have pushed too many young people towards university, instead of investing in new apprenticeship and training opportunities.
“Alongside a major recruitment campaign, ministers must combat rising employment costs, and support construction employers to invest in the next generation of trade and professional construction workers. This is how we get Britain building, boost the economy and most importantly, change lives.”
The Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) latest Construction Skills Network report suggests around 240,000 extra workers will be required by 2029 simply to keep pace with sector growth and deliver the Government’s built environment ambitions.
