The Skills Shortage: Trades in Highest Demand
TL;DR
The UK construction industry needs around 251,500 extra workers by 2028, according to CITB's 2024 Construction Skills Network forecast. Carpenters and joiners, electricians, plumbers, bricklayers and groundworkers top the list of trades in highest demand. The Federation of Master Builders' State of Trade survey consistently shows the majority of small builders struggling to recruit. Government has responded with the Apprenticeship Levy, T-Levels, the Construction Skills Fund and the Skilled Worker visa shortage list — but the gap is still wide. For tradespeople, that means real bargaining power.
Table of Contents
1. How Big is the Shortage?
CITB's 2024 Construction Skills Network (CSN) forecast estimates that the UK construction industry will need an extra 251,500 workers by 2028 to meet expected demand — equivalent to about 50,300 additional workers a year. That is on top of replacing those who retire or leave the industry.
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) State of Trade survey, published quarterly, consistently shows that more than half of small construction firms report difficulty hiring at least one trade. In FMB's 2023 surveys, bricklayers, carpenters and general labourers were the hardest roles to fill.
ONS vacancy statistics tell the same story. Throughout 2022 and 2023 construction had one of the highest vacancy-to-employment ratios of any sector. Even after the labour market cooled in 2024, vacancies in skilled trades remained above pre-pandemic levels.
In short: this is not a marketing claim or a one-off blip. Multiple official and industry sources are pointing in the same direction — there are not enough skilled tradespeople to do the work the UK has on its books.
2. The Trades Most in Demand
CITB's CSN occupational forecasts consistently identify the same handful of trades as the most needed: carpenters and joiners, electricians, plumbing and HVAC trades, bricklayers, plasterers and dry liners, civil engineering operatives and groundworkers.
In CITB's most recent CSN data, occupations such as wood trades and interior fit-out, electrical trades and installation, and plumbing and HVAC trades each show forecast annual recruitment requirements running into the thousands. Those numbers reflect both new growth and replacement of those leaving the industry.
The Migration Advisory Committee, which advises the Government on the immigration system, has historically included several construction occupations on the Shortage Occupation List (now the Immigration Salary List), including some bricklayers, roofers and plasterers — formal recognition that the domestic supply isn't keeping pace with demand.
The Government's Construction Playbook and DESNZ's Heat and Buildings Strategy also flag a fast-growing demand for retrofit-related skills — heat pump installers, insulation installers, MCS-certified trades — which we cover in the Going Green guide.
3. Why the Shortage Has Got Worse
Several long-term trends have converged. ONS Labour Force Survey data shows the construction workforce is older than the UK average, with around 1 in 5 workers aged 55 or over. Many of those skilled people will retire over the next decade, taking their experience with them.
Recruitment into the trades has not kept up. CITB's own analysis shows that, while apprenticeship starts in construction recovered after the pandemic, completion rates and the absolute number of new entrants are still below where the industry needs them to be.
Brexit also reshaped the labour pool. Home Office and ONS data both showed a significant drop in EU-born construction workers between 2019 and 2022, particularly in London. Some of that has been offset by non-EU migration under the new points-based immigration system, but the rebalancing is still underway.
Finally, perception matters. Multiple industry surveys, including CITB's Going Construction research, show that careers in construction still suffer from outdated and inaccurate perceptions among parents and school-leavers. That deters new entrants and keeps the funnel narrower than it needs to be.
4. Regional Hot Spots
CITB CSN forecasts the strongest regional growth in the East of England, the South West and parts of the Midlands, driven by infrastructure programmes, housing pipelines and energy projects. London continues to need very large numbers of workers but at lower forecast growth rates.
Scotland and Wales each have their own CSN reports identifying specific occupational shortages — particularly civil engineering and electrical trades for Scotland's energy transition, and housing-related trades in Wales. Northern Ireland faces a similar pattern around infrastructure and retrofit.
For tradespeople, regional data suggests there is real value in being willing to travel — or at least being clear on a platform like Tradesman Network about which postcodes you'll cover. The areas with the biggest pipelines also tend to be the areas where day rates are pushed hardest by competition.
It also explains why Tier 1 contractors increasingly subsidise accommodation and travel for skilled trades on major projects. If you're picking which jobs to bid for, the regional pipeline is a strong predictor of how much demand you'll face over the next 2–3 years.
5. The Government and Industry Response
Government has responded with several measures. The Apprenticeship Levy, introduced in 2017, requires UK employers with a wage bill over £3 million to pay 0.5% into a fund that can only be spent on apprenticeship training. Construction is one of the largest single users of apprenticeship funding.
T-Levels in Construction, Onsite Construction and Building Services Engineering have been rolled out for 16–19 year olds, combining classroom learning with substantial industry placements. They are designed as the technical equivalent of A-Levels and feed directly into apprenticeships and skilled jobs.
CITB itself collects a statutory levy on the wage and net CIS payments of construction employers and reinvests it as grants and direct training. The Construction Skills Fund and other Department for Education initiatives provide additional money for short courses, especially in retrofit and Building Safety Act-related competence.
On the immigration side, the Home Office's points-based system continues to provide a route for skilled construction workers from overseas, though salary thresholds and the removal of some occupations from the shortage list have made this harder than it was a few years ago.
6. What It Means for Your Career
For tradespeople already in the industry, the shortage is a structural advantage. Day rates have risen significantly above pre-pandemic levels, and employers and main contractors are increasingly willing to negotiate on payment terms, travel and notice periods to keep good people on site.
It also rewards multi-skilling. Tradespeople who can offer two related disciplines — for example a plumber who can also fit heat pumps, or a carpenter who can do first and second fix and basic kitchen installs — find it easier to fill their diary in slower months.
Investing in qualifications pays off. With CITB grants typically available for short courses and NVQ assessments, the cost of upskilling can often be offset against future earnings within a single year of taking the course. Our CSCS Cards guide sets out the main routes.
Finally, the shortage is a reminder to look after the basics: clean compliance, current insurance, a strong online profile and good reviews. In a market where there's more work than people, the contractors who win are the ones who are easiest to hire and least risky to engage.