Calling Gen Z and Alpha: construction needs you

It’s no secret that the biggest problem we’re facing in the construction industry is the shrinking workforce. 

We’re all aware that demand for work is increasing, while the number of people entering the industry is decreasing – yet there seems to be very little being done to change that.

The UK construction market is set to be the fastest growing across all major Western European economies in the next 15 years. But there continues to be a huge issue with encouraging people to take up a career in the industry to meet that projected growing demand.

The Construction Industry Training Body (CITB) estimated that approximately 45,000 people would need to join the sector every year for the next five years to keep pace with the project pipeline. 

So, the question remains: how do we reverse this tide? How do we encourage young people – Generation Z and Alpha – to look towards construction as an aspirational and enviable sector to work in?

That conversation needs to begin right down at the grassroots, with a clear focus on inclusivity in the industry, if we want to break down stereotypes and negative connotations and widen the pool of young talent considering careers in the sector. 

The industry needs help to attract the necessary number of people into roles via apprenticeship schemes to keep up with growing demand. 

I found it encouraging to see that the industry is appealing to a wider pool of young talent than ever before – with 10% of the 2022-23 apprenticeship uptake being female and 7.8% being from ethnic minority backgrounds, according to recent analysis of the latest government data.

However, this data analysis shows that uptakes in construction apprenticeships as a whole have dropped by 5%, which doesn’t bode well for the future of the industry.

There is a huge gap to fill before there’s enough entry into construction careers to solve the skills crisis. It’s only through targeted and meaningful fostering of a positive perception of the industry that we’re going to begin seeing the numbers rise. 

Diversity in the workplace has come a long way across all types of businesses over the past decade and, more than ever, businesses are increasingly seeking equality in the work environment.

That itself will only encourage more women and ethnic minorities to follow suit.

Hopefully, as the number of females and ethnic minorities joining the construction industry continues, we’ll see old stereotypes being removed and more equal opportunities for career progression across the board.

Admittedly, the construction industry remains a way behind other industries, though. Many of the negative stereotypes surrounding the industry remain instilled into young people’s minds. 

A study found that 73% of sixth-form students believe black, Asian and minority ethnic workers will suffer prejudice in the construction industry.

Morgan Siddall’s report Are we Gen Z ready? revealed that a huge 57% of women and girls are still deterred from considering a career in the construction sector because they believe it is male-dominated. 

We need to do far more to encourage girls and ethnic minorities into the workforce, starting with awareness in education at schools and colleges, setting clear zero-tolerance policies in the workplace and laying out clear career progression paths, all the way to producing marketing campaigns around inclusivity. 

As leaders in the industry, it’s our responsibility to make sure zero-tolerance policies are adhered to in the workplace and those career progression paths are laid out for all individuals if we’re to break stigmas and continue encouraging the next generation to join the workforce.

There is still a notable lack of sector-specific focus within educational settings. We need to enhance awareness of construction college opportunities and foster a broader and more accessible approach to careers.

The industry must ask itself whether it is setting the bar too high for entry-level positions, particularly when it comes to high academic requirements.

In 2023, the GCSE percentage pass rate at grade 4/C and above was 67.8% – that’s almost one-third of all young people in the UK that we may be unintentionally excluding from job opportunities in the industry. 

Setting impossibly high standards puts us in danger of losing valuable talent as we compete with the career opportunities available in different sectors that have become more favourable.

According to Glassdoor, the top three careers that Gen Z desires most are corporate recruiter, marketing manager and social media manager roles, with project engineer making it into the top 10 at number nine.

For Gen Alpha (people born between 2010 and 2025) the prediction is that they will pursue careers aligning with emerging trends in technology, healthcare, sustainability, cybersecurity and creative fields.

We must make clear the variety of roles that are available and highlight how far the construction industry has come in terms of sustainability and where it could go in the future with the help of bright young minds and advancements in technology. 

There are many career paths beyond the stereotypical on-site roles, but we must also work to dispel the lingering notion of on-site being a ‘dirty’ environment. Today’s construction industry is far cleaner and safer than it was many years ago.

As I mentioned previously, if we’re to see an increased uptake in construction careers, we need to challenge stereotypes and stigmas in the industry.

I believe awareness of what the industry is like today, and the opportunities available, needs to begin at a grassroots level.

Not only do we need more awareness in schools of what college courses and apprenticeships are available, but there needs to be a broader level of awareness, too, in a similar way to the recruitment marketing campaigns the British Army and the Royal Navy produce every year.

To make sure opportunities are equal, leaders need to ensure stigmas are removed in their workplaces by setting clear, zero-tolerance policies, providing diversity training to staff and putting clear progression ladders in place for each individual.

Only then will perceptions truly begin to change and careers become more favourable.

Craig Sanders is joint managing director at Protrade.