As employers face growing pressure to upskill staff, improve productivity and attract new talent into the industry, Kate Burns says the sector’s training infrastructure needs to keep pace.
The UK’s construction sector is facing some big challenges. According to research by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), more than 250,000 additional construction workers will be needed by 2029 to meet the average 2.4% a year growth expected in the UK from now to 2028.
However, a skills gap has quickly developed in the industry. For instance, a white paper from recruitment firm Strategic Resourcing, reported on by Planning, Building & Construction Today, found that workers aged 55+ outnumber those under 25 by 20% at main contractor firms.
However, Protrade’s State of Construction Apprenticeships in 2026 report reveals that there was a 1.5% increase in new construction apprentices in the 2024/25 period.
It is important that this skills gap continues to be addressed as a priority. As well as investing in future talent, we need to ensure people are upskilled and reskilled, unlocking agility and innovation in the workforce to meet future needs.
For employers looking to build skills at pace and at scale, access to dedicated, high-quality training space is becoming essential.
Training should never be an afterthought
Roles in the construction industry require people to have specialised skills, knowledge and abilities. All of these elements can be studied and then built on through training and development programmes.
Employers and employees alike will benefit from construction training for the following reasons:
- A culture of continuous improvement and learning can be instilled around a workplace, motivating and encouraging staff members to find ways to improve their own abilities.
- Training programmes can be designed to upskill staff members in a gap that has been identified at a company or the entire construction industry.
- Productivity can be improved throughout a workplace, as staff members will better understand how to apply best practices to situations they encounter during their jobs.
- Information about the latest technologies, tools and industry trends can be passed on to all colleagues through a company-wide training session.
- Safety can be enhanced throughout a business, as training helps to reinforce the importance of safety standards and how employees can protect themselves from potential hazards tied to their roles.
To support productivity and fuel innovation, the government has transitioned the apprenticeship levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy.
Introduced in April 2026, the Growth and Skills Levy is a more flexible skills system that is responsive to employers and aims to help people learn high-quality skills that are relevant to their roles.
However, employers that are about to introduce learning into their business should make sure programmes are always designed to match the needs of their industry. Every programme needs to have clearly defined outcomes to ensure success, which will help address the sector’s skills gap.
The benefits of onsite training
Another recommendation for business owners in the construction sector is to provide onsite training wherever possible, which can be customised to suit an employer’s needs.
Learning in an actual working environment means that employees can be faced with real-life scenarios which they may have to adapt to during their day-to-day jobs. The blend of theory and practice encountered during these situations will better prepare employees for their roles.
Onsite training in the construction industry can include techniques to improve someone’s workmanship, how to operate complex heavy machinery, and ways to follow a site’s safety protocols. It can also be used to swiftly address feedback or correct mistakes.
Those running a construction firm who are looking to install purpose-built training centres can do so quickly and effectively by investing in modular training rooms.
Modular training room buildings are cost-effective solutions which will showcase that construction firms are committed to employees’ development, without needing to take teams offsite.
In an industry which urgently needs to address its skills gap, construction companies should be looking at implementing dedicated onsite training facilities. These sites can encourage an environment of continuous improvement, upskilling employees in a fast and effective way that will also make a firm more appealing to job seekers.
Kate Burns is head of talent and learning at Portakabin.
