The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Scotland has warned young people cannot follow a construction career pathway they do not know exists.
New research commissioned by the trade body found that 62% of Scots said a guaranteed job at the end of training would make them more likely to encourage a young person into the industry; the single biggest factor identified in the study.
That is what a Modern Apprenticeship with a local building firm already offers, according to FMB Scotland. Yet awareness of the route is low.
Only 34% of Scots had heard of graduate apprenticeships, while 18% could not say what a construction worker earns, and 26% believed the figure was under £30,000. Just 9% said nothing would change their mind about a young person joining the industry.
Gordon Nelson, director of FMB Scotland, said the findings pointed to a failure to communicate opportunities rather than a lack of interest in the sector.
He said: “Scots are not against this industry. They are lost in it. What they tell us they want is a guaranteed job at the end of training – and that is exactly what an apprenticeship with a Scottish building firm gives them. Yet only a third have heard of graduate apprenticeships, and nearly one in five could not tell you what a builder earns. That is a signposting failure, and it is costing us a generation.”
Nelson said Scotland’s construction workforce had been shrinking since the 2008 financial crisis, with an ageing workforce and insufficient replacement rates, while the sector is projected to grow to around 214,000 workers by 2029 to meet demand.
He noted that around 96% of Scotland’s 53,500 construction businesses employ fewer than 10 people, meaning the burden of training new entrants falls largely on small and micro firms already facing stagnant apprenticeship funding and rising costs.
He added: “We are asking the people with the least capacity to carry the most weight.”
Pam Wilson, managing director of Kevin Wilson Master Builders and president of the FMB in Scotland, pointed to her firm’s decision to take on apprentice Ryan Harley, who is completing a Modern Apprenticeship in Carpentry and Joinery at Forth Valley College, as an example of the model in practice.
She said: “Construction has given our family and our business so much over the years, but the thing I feel most strongly about now is making sure the next generation gets to experience what this industry can offer.
“When you run a small construction business, taking on an apprentice is a big decision – you are investing precious funds and taking responsibility for shaping someone’s career. You have to look beyond what Ryan can contribute today and think about the tradesperson he could become in three, five or 10 years.”
Opportunity to develop
Caroline Hogg, head of apprenticeships at Forth Valley College, said the college worked closely with construction employers to prepare apprentices for the workplace.
She said: “Modern Apprenticeships provide an excellent route into the construction industry, combining high-quality training with the opportunity to develop skills and experience directly in the workplace.
“At Forth Valley College, we work closely with construction employers to ensure apprentices develop the practical skills, knowledge and behaviours that industry needs. A construction apprenticeship can lead to a highly skilled, rewarding career, with qualifications and experience that can provide opportunities throughout an individual’s working life.”
Nelson said the partnership between Wilson’s firm and Forth Valley College demonstrated what needed to be replicated more widely, and called for the Scottish government, industry and colleges to work together on clearer signposting.
He said: “Pam and Forth Valley College show exactly what the fix looks like – a small firm and a college between them turning a young person into a skilled tradesperson. As we call for in our Builders’ Manifesto for Scotland, if we are to have more local building firms recruit and train apprentices, targeted skills funding and training grants are needed.
“Industry, colleges and the Scottish government need to sit down together and build clearer routes into construction – ones a sixteen-year-old and their parents can actually follow. The appetite is there. It’s the pathway that needs fixing.”
The research was carried out by Savanta, which interviewed 2,107 UK adults aged 16 and over online on behalf of the FMB, in tables dated 29 July 2026. The data was weighted to be nationally representative; the Scotland base was 144 respondents, so Scottish figures are indicative.
Main image: Pam Wilson, managing director of Kevin Wilson Master Builders, and president of the FMB in Scotland
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