New research from housebuilder Redrow suggests that construction careers are set to surge, with 1.4 million young people currently considering a career in the industry.
Interest in construction continues to rise year on year amongst young people, the company says, with a 4% increase over the last two years. This is expected to rise even further, thanks to “hugely shifting” perceptions amongst parents – with 66% saying they would encourage their child to pursue an apprenticeship, versus only 29% of parents in 2023.
With apprenticeships being a key stepping stone into a long-term construction career, the annual research from Redrow also found that there are over 709,000 16-24 year olds currently working in the industry, rising from 7% to 9% in two years.
While this suggests “strong progress”, Redrow says, it points out that figures from the Home Builders Federation reveal that for every 10,000 homes built, the industry needs to recruit 30,000 new workers. Of more concern, 20% of the homebuilding workforce is currently aged over 50.
With the industry experiencing a skills crisis, encouraging younger generations into the sector through alternative avenues such as apprenticeships, has never been more important, Redrow argues.
Martin Gilpin, head of human resources for Redrow, said: “The new government has set a housing target of building 1.5m homes within five years, but if we are ever to come close to achieving this ambitious goal, the UK must tackle the talent and skills shortage in the construction industry.
“With our annual research now in its eighth year, it’s promising to see that there is an uptick of young people showing an interest in the sector and it is crucial that we now convert this interest by promoting the benefits that the sector can bring – including generous salaries and job security. This needs to start in schools, with teachers provided with even more tools and training to be able to deliver on this.”
The annual research surveys the views of 1,000 UK young adults aged 16-24 and 1,000 parents, with its results calculated on the basis of the 16-24 population of 7.2m in 2022. The results, says Redrow, suggest strong changes in how young people are getting into the world of work.
As well a parental perceptions shifting drastically, so too are the perceptions of young people when it comes to university degrees, the research finds.
Nearly a third (31%) of people aged 16-24 say they don’t have an interest in university and would rather do an apprenticeship. For 29% the cost-of-living crisis has been a large factor in deciding against university. Earning money straight away (30%) and earning a salary whilst studying/training (28%) are the key reasons why young people would opt for an apprenticeship over university.
In schools, the number of young people that say their school does not encourage students to pursue an apprenticeship, has substantially reduced, from nearly half (49%) in 2023, to 29% today. The number of 16-24 year olds that say they have not been told about apprenticeships has also reduced, from 41% in 2023 to 24% in 2025.
According to the housebuilder, this demonstrates that while there may still be some work to be done, both at home and at school people are starting to see apprenticeships as a meaningful and viable choice for young people.
Gilpin added: “Our research indicates there is still much work to be done, particularly when it comes to challenging perceptions in construction. Our upcoming cohort of apprentices includes not only traditional trade roles such as carpentry and bricklaying, that you might expect in construction, but also in office positions across commercial, planning and design.
“The housebuilding industry plays a crucial role in our society and encouraging people into all parts of the industry via the likes of apprenticeships is critical to its future success.”
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