Digital upskilling: boosting the construction workforce

The Construction Skills Network (CSN) reports that around 251,500 additional workers are needed by 2028 to meet the expected levels of work – equating to more than 50,000 per year from 2023.

With intense pressure to build houses, create new infrastructure for energy and transport, and retrofit to meet net-zero targets, construction firms need more support than ever to develop, train and attract workers.

As this sector is still one of the country’s largest and most important, the need to digitalise outdated systems and methods has never been clearer.

Digitalisation should be at the forefront of the strategy for construction businesses, as it is in other sectors.

Doing so would immediately dispel the notion that construction is an outdated industry, increasing its appeal to young people – a demographic that has been gradually declining within the sector.

There are still many preconceptions about working in the construction industry – ranging from it being a ‘second choice’ pathway to being only suitable for hands-on labourers.

Traditional skills are important and will always make up part of the industry, but blending this with a fresh approach will pay dividends.

If young people don’t see the construction industry evolving, the belief that they will find alternative careers to pursue will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If the sector is slow to change, it will be slow to recruit.

While it is understandable that certain processes and methods of working have been in place for a long time and still achieve results, enhancing education and giving people the tools to advance their careers should be a priority.

There is sometimes a misplaced concern that digital transformation is trying to replace human skill, but real people and real creativity are still at the heart of digital goals.

One way we can showcase what digitalisation is all about is by raising awareness. This can be done by providing information to help more people understand – free webinars are one such example.

It is also beneficial to showcase positive examples of how the marketplace is changing and the success that has already been achieved.

Funding for digital construction is becoming far more regular too – for example Bridge AI, the government-backed programme announced last year, which demonstrates that there is an appetite for innovation.

One of the more powerful aspects of digitalisation is how it is making positive and substantial changes to a centuries-old industry.

Construction, and everything associated, has the potential to impact society in many ways. By embracing technology, every age demographic will feel encouraged to support it.

We must address the misconception that the industry has time to evolve. What doesn’t appear broken now may not last into the future.

The skills gap is already wide, but the potential for digital tools and proptech to support it is huge. Only through fresh thinking and a more positive attitude to technology can we keep moving forward.

Simon Davis is co-founder of proptech intelligence company Nimbus.