Why construction needs a rebrand to crack the skills gap

Nearly a third of senior construction professionals consider skills shortages to be one of the biggest challenges they face. Image: Adobe Stock

But let’s not rejoice too quickly – the workforce is still ageing rapidly, with 35% of workers now over 50 and over a third set to retire by 2035, according to a Places for People report. 

While we work out how to tackle the growing skills crisis, it’s contractors who are left to bear the brunt, with a report by technology provider Topcon finding that nearly a third of senior construction professionals consider skills shortages to be one of the biggest challenges they face. It’s clear this pressure is unsustainable, so how can contractors attract more talent and futureproof the sector?

Beyond apprenticeship schemes, engaging with higher education providers, and targeted training and workplace inclusion programmes – all essential pieces of the puzzle – the role of communications can’t be underestimated in this mission. Considered communications strategies can not only protect and improve the reputation of individual recruiters, making them more appealing to in-demand workers, but can go a long way to reshaping the public’s perception of construction as a career, too.

The competition for talent

With demand outstripping supply, the competition between contractors to attract and retain the best talent is intense. And this is acutely felt when it comes to middle-management and site leadership roles, where the gap is most stark. What sees one contractor chosen over the other often comes down to brand reputation, not just as a venerable player in the sector but as an upstanding employer too – one that invests in the development and wellbeing of its staff.

Here we’re talking about employee value proposition: the culture and benefits afforded to staff in return for their skill and dedication. Often this information is erroneously confined to internal comms, job ads and careers pages – far too late in the process for those vying for the attention of prospective talent. A contractor’s employer brand must be a core pillar of ever-present external communications. By giving internal experts a platform, telling their stories and sharing their experiences of the business culture, said contractor can become the employer of choice.

Representation matters

One undeniable cause of the skills gap is that there are entire demographics who aren’t represented enough in what the world sees of construction. We’re operating in one of the least diverse industries, which significantly limits the talent pool. In the US the CDC reports that just 10% of the construction workforce are women and, in the UK, ethnic minorities make up just 6% of the workforce.

In any industry, it’s accepted that to achieve the best outcomes, we need a variety of perspectives, experiences, skills and ideas, so it’s important that we work to improve these statistics. As the adage goes, ‘if you can see it, you can be it’ – people need to see people like them in this career if they’re to feel like they belong there too. Naturally, this puts responsibility on businesses to ensure their marketing is not just representative of society but also that it shows up in more spaces and is accessible, too. By shifting this dial, individual businesses and construction as a collective can open up the talent pool and, in turn, plug the skills gap.

Engaging a generation of digital natives

Construction isn’t the dirty, manual career it used to be. If you look in the right places you find an innovative, creative and truly exciting industry that’s evolving at pace and can offer incredibly rewarding careers for the next generation. But do they know it? We’re talking about digital natives who come ready equipped with the skills required to manage modern construction projects.

The good news is that last year, the CIOB spoke to 2,000 16- to 24-year-olds to understand their perceptions of a career in construction. Just over two thirds (68%) take a positive view and their parents approve, with more than three quarters (79%) supportive of their child entering the sector. So, the appetite is there. The bad news? The same study found that almost half (47%) of the young people asked said that construction wasn’t covered in any careers advice they’d received in education.

If we’re not getting to this audience using traditional methods, then perhaps we ought to be showing up where they spend their downtime: social media. Globally, 18- to 24-year-olds make up the largest percentage of TikTok users (39%) and second largest of Instagram users (30%). They’re consuming content from influencers who are aligned with their interests, and the opportunity for construction companies to get in on this is still relatively untapped.

The outlook certainly seems brighter than it did a few years ago and recent figures are promising. But it’s clear there needs to be a concerted and sustained PR drive at both organisation and sector level to accelerate construction’s rebrand. That way, we can position it as a viable, rewarding and fun career for all; open the door to a swathe of eager recruits; and cultivate a vibrant, varied and skilled workforce that can deftly shape the built environment for future generations.

Andrew Shaw is associate director at PR and social agency Tangerine.