Prime minister Andy Burnham’s drive to devolve powers and funding to regions could provide an opportunity to reshape how construction skills are planned, as new research shows the industry’s workforce is becoming increasingly localised.
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has found that construction workers are becoming less willing to travel long distances for work, raising questions over the industry’s traditional reliance on workforce mobility to fill skills gaps and resource major projects.
Its Workforce Mobility and Skills in the UK Construction Sector 2025 report found that 34% of construction workers worked no more than 20 miles from home during the past 12 months.
By contrast, just 28% worked more than 50 miles from their permanent or current home, down from 32% in 2022.
The longer-term trend is more pronounced. The proportion of workers travelling between 50 and 100 miles for work has fallen from 26% in 2015 to 18%, while those travelling more than 100 miles has more than halved, from 21% to 10%.
Lifestyle choices
CITB said family, lifestyle and personal circumstances are increasingly influencing where workers choose to work.
The trend could have significant implications for an industry that has historically relied on workers travelling to areas where major housing, infrastructure and commercial projects are being delivered.
The findings come as Burnham places devolution at the heart of his government, with greater powers for strategic authorities covering areas including skills, employment, housing, infrastructure and economic development.
The government has also announced new technical education routes intended to give young people earlier access to technical skills, work experience and connections with local employers.
For construction, the combination of a more localised workforce and greater regional control could mean skills planning becomes more closely aligned with the requirements of individual areas.
Accelerating growth
CITB’s findings suggest that this will be increasingly important as the government seeks to accelerate housebuilding, deliver infrastructure projects and support regional economic growth. Labour demand will not be evenly distributed across the country, meaning some areas will need significantly more construction workers than others.
Lee Bryer, insights manager at CITB, said the traditional model of workforce mobility may become less effective. “Construction has traditionally relied on workforce mobility to help meet demand, but the evidence suggests that model may become less effective in the years ahead,” he said.
“If workers are less willing to travel or relocate for work, skills shortages risk becoming increasingly localised.
“This means skills strategies must become more place-based. We’re already working towards this at CITB, having established partnerships with Mayoral Strategic Authorities and regional leaders to better understand local labour market needs and support action plans aligned to regional priorities.”
CITB said these partnerships are strengthening relationships between employers, training providers and local decision-makers, with the aim of addressing emerging skills shortages at a regional level.
The findings also reinforce calls from the construction sector for greater regional control over skills. The CIOB has previously urged Burnham to give regional leaders greater responsibility for developing construction skills locally as part of his devolution programme.
