UK construction risks losing new workers amid ‘leaky’ apprenticeship pipeline

That’s according to UK-based construction company Seddon, which has reported having 2,694 applicants for just 20 apprenticeship roles in its latest hiring round.

Seddon warned that a lack of construction apprenticeships is locking talent out of the industry.

The UK needs 50,000 new construction apprentices per year to meet workforce demand, according to the 2024 Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Apprenticeship Report. Only 33,000 people started apprenticeships in 2023/24, however.

Nicola Hodkinson, owner and director at Seddon, said, “We are not short of young people ready to work, we are short of employers ready to take them on. This is not the first time that we have been oversubscribed in apprenticeship applicants, and this year’s soaring application figures show how much appetite there is from the next generation. But, unless we have a collective shift as an industry in how we approach apprenticeships, we risk losing this talent to other sectors or worse, they become another statistic amongst the ‘Not in Employment, Education or Training’ (NEET).”

Of Seddon’s total applicants, 8% identified as female, and 29% of applicants identified as being from Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, which Seddon said showed growing interest from underrepresented groups.

“It’s heartbreaking to think we could lose these enthusiastic, capable individuals. With 31% of applicants already holding a construction qualification, there’s a real risk they may move to other sectors. We are having conversations with our supply chain, public sector clients with direct labour, and our contacts in skills, education, and employment to try and connect these apprentice candidates with employers,” Hodkinson said.

“We need more employers to step up, we need greater funding flexibility, and an employment system that actually supports employment and opportunities for apprenticeships. In order to do this, we need the government to understand the needs of the sector, its employers and the challenges they currently face. If we want to secure the future of UK construction, we have to invest in it, and that starts with our apprentices,” she added.

The UK government has outlined plans to reform the apprenticeship system, including a proposed Growth and Skills Levy and the creation of Skills England. But there are also concerns that Skills England which will replace the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (ifATE) will lack the authority for sufficient employer consultation.

Nonetheless, the CITB has backed the government’s proposed Growth and Skills Levy to replace the current Apprenticeship Levy, which aims to allow employers to access broader training options and align with current skills demands.

Danny Clarke, engagement director at CITB, said: “It’s encouraging to see so many young people eager to start careers in construction, but these numbers also highlight the urgent need for more employers to offer apprenticeship opportunities.

“Our New Entrant Support Teams with Go Construct’s new careers portal, set to launch later this month, is actively working with Seddon. This new platform will enable apprentice applicants to upload CVs, create profiles, and search for opportunities, while employers can advertise roles and find candidates. Seddon will be writing to all unsuccessful applicants, encouraging them to join the portal, and our new entrant support team will help match them to suitable employers.”