Construction employers could face growing labour shortages as colleges report significant challenges impacting their ability to train new entrants.
New national data from the Association of Colleges (AoC) shows that widespread capacity pressures are leading to some colleges limiting enrolments or closing courses where student interest overwhelms resources.
The AoC Enrolment Survey 2025 shows that colleges are experiencing sharp demand spikes from young people wanting to pursue construction careers.
According to the report: “Significant increases in enrolments were most commonly reported in construction (77% of colleges).”
This trend was driven largely by demographic change, as well as local labour market conditions and the opportunity for work-based training opportunities such as apprenticeships.
However, despite this surge in interest, colleges said they could not expand places at the pace employers need.
The report highlights construction as the area with the most acute capacity pressures, noting: “Subject areas with increases in enrolments were closely aligned with staffing and spacing challenges, including construction (reported by 60% of colleges).”
Apprenticeship challenges
Capacity constraints are also affecting apprenticeships. The survey states that “the most affected area was construction, planning and the built environment, with nearly a third (32%) of colleges experiencing challenges” in delivering apprenticeship training because of staffing or space shortages.
As employers continue to call for more apprentices, colleges report that they are having to restrict intake instead.
The report confirms that some colleges have “limited apprenticeship enrolments or closed courses due to staffing or space challenges”, limiting the number of apprentices employers can take on.
The pressure is most visible in waiting lists, where construction outstrips all other technical disciplines.
The AoC report highlights: “Waiting lists were reported in all subject areas listed, most notably in construction (56%).”
Finding suitable employers
The survey also found that difficulties securing suitable employers for apprenticeships are pushing even more learners onto full-time courses, adding pressure to college workshops.
According to the report: “High demand for apprenticeships in some of these subject areas has been hampered by the availability of employers willing to take on apprentices, thus shifting demand to 16 to 18 study programmes and T Levels.”
With the construction workforce ageing and major infrastructure programmes continuing to draw on the same pool of skilled labour, the AoC has called for urgent action.
It has recommended that colleges and stakeholders work together to “identify scalable solutions for capacity challenges in high-demand areas, including phased investment, staff development and flexible delivery models.”
