Construction businesses can’t recruit their way out of the skills crisis. The answer is to start building the workforce they need for the future, says Guy Parker, who shares how Conlon Construction has built its own talent pipeline.
Every construction business is talking about the skills shortage. We know our workforce is ageing, demand for new skills is increasing, and competition for experienced people is only becoming tougher.
The question isn’t whether the challenge exists. It’s what we’re prepared to do about it.
As chair of Conlon Construction and as a Lancashire Ambassador working with businesses that champion investment in Lancashire’s future, I believe the solution starts much closer to home than many organisations realise. If we want a resilient construction industry, we must stop relying solely on recruiting skilled people and start creating them ourselves.
My own career began with a summer work placement on a Conlon site. That opportunity gave me a pathway into construction and shaped the way I think about developing talent today. We don’t see apprenticeships and work experience as an obligation or a CSR activity – they’re a business strategy.
Last year alone, Conlon delivered 1,274 apprentice weeks and 32 work experience weeks across projects in the north west. We also worked with more than 1,100 young people through careers fairs, school assemblies and site visits, helping them understand what a career in modern construction really looks like.
We’ve learned that tackling the skills challenge isn’t about one initiative – it’s about creating a pipeline.
Three lessons we’ve learned
1. Start building relationships before you need to recruit
Too many businesses wait until there’s a vacancy before engaging with young people. By then, you’ve already missed the opportunity.
We’ve built long-standing relationships with schools, colleges, universities and organisations such as Preston Vocational Centre because inspiring future talent takes time. Young people need to see construction as a career with long-term opportunities, not simply a job.
2. Create multiple routes into the business
Not everyone follows the same path.
Alongside traditional apprenticeships, we’ve expanded our offer to include degree apprenticeships and T-level placements. This year we’ve welcomed two Quantity Surveying degree apprentices and an Accounting, Finance and Management degree apprentice, and we’re already recruiting for a Construction Management degree apprentice for next year.
At a recent University of Lancashire Spark event, A-level students told us they wanted to earn while they learn rather than take on significant debt. Listening to what young people want has helped us shape opportunities that work for them and for our business.
3. Think beyond your own organisation
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that collaboration matters.
We’re regularly asked for work experience and apprenticeship opportunities, and we simply can’t accommodate everyone ourselves. Rather than turning people away, we work with trusted supply chain partners who share our commitment to developing people. Many of those introductions result in permanent employment.
The industry won’t solve its skills challenge if every business works in isolation. Just as important as technical training is building confidence.
We’ve had young people tell us they feel uncomfortable making professional phone calls or speaking in workplace meetings because they’ve had little opportunity to develop those skills. Apprenticeships provide far more than technical knowledge – they build confidence, communication and professionalism through mentoring and real workplace experience.
As a Lancashire Ambassador, I spend time talking to businesses from every sector about investing in the county’s future. One message comes up time and again: sustainable growth depends on developing local talent. Construction has an opportunity to lead by example, because it can offer clear career pathways, practical learning and long-term employment.
My advice to other businesses is simple: don’t wait. Build relationships with education providers. Work with your supply chain. Offer multiple entry routes. Invest in mentoring as well as training.
Growing your own talent takes commitment, but the return is significant. It strengthens your business, creates opportunities for local people and helps ensure our industry has the skilled workforce it needs for the future.
The skills shortage won’t solve itself. The businesses that thrive over the next decade will be those that start building that workforce today.
