Apprentices in the construction industry are dropping out of their training programmes at a faster rate than other sectors because of low pay and a post-Covid desire for a better work-life balance.
A gathering of industry professionals heard that almost half (47%) of youngsters are leaving the sector before completing their apprenticeship, contributing to a growing skills shortage.
The data, from the British Association of Construction Heads, shows that significantly more construction apprentices drop out after 24 months compared to other apprenticeships, 17% compared with 6% in other sectors.
Other reasons given for quitting early included young workers wanting the ‘big job’ before putting in the hard graft, a belief that the training is too long, and a perception that working in construction is a job rather than a career.
Additional research by Skills Development Scotland last year showed that just 8% of young people aged 16–18 would seriously consider a construction career.
Those attending the meeting in Edinburgh to discuss Scotland’s Construction Skills Crisis called for the promotion of career opportunities in the sector. Shorter, focused, and hands-on learning wins were suggested over traditional full-time courses.
Mike Pratt, co-founder and director of InverTay Homes and Timber Engineering UK, said: “Our industry is in desperate need of upskilling an ageing workforce as well as a steady intake of young apprentices.
“We need radical change in the industry to reverse the downward trajectory of apprenticeships and the ‘brain drain’ from the construction industry.
“There are going to be massive labour shortages for the foreseeable future so we cannot afford to be training people up, just to see them leave the industry straight away.
“We need a targeted and progressive approach to plug the gaps and ensure the next generation of school leavers want to enter an industry that values them.”
According to Skills Development Scotland, the construction industry must recruit over 48,000 people by 2034 to meet future demand.
Jocelyne Fleming, senior policy and public affairs officer for the Chartered Institute of Building in Scotland said: “Our recent survey revealed nearly 75% of young people in Scotland view the construction industry positively, but nearly half were never introduced to it as a potential career path during education.
“We urgently need to strengthen the existing workforce and build a robust talent pipeline. That requires a government-led, strategic, and long-term plan, one that identifies the future demands of our built environment, defines the skills and expertise needed to meet them, and ensures we have the resources to attract, train, and retain the people who will deliver it.”
Guests at the roundtable included, Lauren Pennycook, Senior Policy and Government Relations Advisor, CITB, Mike Pratt, Co-founder & Director InverTay Homes, Timber Engineering UK, Steven Kiakowski, Director, The Verdancy Group, Colin Jack, Managing Director of Scotland, Places for People, Gordon Nelson, Director, Federation of Master Builders Scotland, Jim Baxter, Financial Director, Allanwater Homes, Laura McGuigan, Business Development Manager, Kier Construction, Chair of Women in Property, Matt Colgan, Founder, Sustainabuild, Frazer Walker, Head of School, School of Engineering, Construction & Technical Skills, Fife College, Mairi Murray, Head of Sustainability, BakerHicks, Jocelyne Fleming, Senior Policy & Public Affairs Officer for Scotland, Chartered Institute of Building, and Professor Robert Hairstans, Head, Centre for Offsite Construction and Innovative Structures at Edinburgh Napier University, Director, Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) at the New Model Institute of Technology and Engineering (NMITE), Skills and EDI Lead, Centre for Net Zero Carbon High Density Buildings.
Downturn in activity is easing
The downturn in the UK construction sector showed signs of easing in May, according to the latest S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index.
Output and new orders both fell at the slowest pace since January, while growth projections for the year ahead improved again.
Employment remained a weak spot, with job shedding accelerating to its fastest since August 2020.
The headline index, tracking changes in total industry activity, posted 47.9 in May, up from 46.6 in April, to signal the slowest reduction in output volumes since January.
Lower business activity has been recorded throughout 2025 to date, but the latest fall was only
modest.
Gareth Belsham, director of Bloom Building Consultancy, said: “Few champagne corks will be popping at two months of slowing decline.
“But May’s modest improvement in the PMI data confirms that April’s bump was no blip. Some in the construction sector are now daring to hope that the worst is past.
“Certainly there’s a spring in the step of those focusing on commercial property. The PMI data confirms that commercial work is now the best-performing subsector, and on the project front-line we’re seeing some encouraging light at the end of the tunnel.
“In the past few weeks we’ve seen a number of commercial property investors who had paused at the ‘go / no’ point decide to press the button.”
Tall buildings policy
A new policy on the design of tall buildings has been agreed by Glasgow City Council.
The Tall Buildings Design Guide for Glasgow sets out areas of the city where the council would support the development of skyscrapers, as well as outlining expectations on build quality, design, and aesthetics.
It also includes guidance around encouraging mixed-use developments, such as the inclusion of street-level retail and leisure.
Areas in the city centre which could see more tall buildings include Charing Cross, Anderston Quay, Trongate and Cowcaddens.
The guidance marks a significant change from the past number of decades where buildings have been capped well below what might be expected in a city of Glasgow’s size and growing international profile.
However, critics will point to cities such as Paris and Rome which protect their heritage skylines from intrusive high level buildings.
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