The Construction Industry Training Board has published its annual workforce forecast, and if you run a trade business or manage hiring for a construction firm, it is worth understanding what the next five years look like.

The Construction Workforce Outlook 2026-2030 is the CITB's annual read on where construction demand is heading and whether the workforce can meet it. It covers expected output, the trades and roles facing the biggest shortfalls, and the implications for training and apprenticeship programmes across the UK.

Growth Is Coming Back

The central message is broadly positive for the sector: construction output is expected to grow over the medium term, with demand returning after several years of suppressed activity driven by high interest rates, planning delays, and cost pressures.

The government's housebuilding programme is the biggest single driver. The target of 1.5 million new homes before 2030 needs a significant volume of bricklayers, groundworkers, joiners, plumbers, electricians, and finishing trades. Infrastructure projects, including energy transition work such as heat pump installations, solar farms, and EV charging infrastructure, add a second wave of demand.

So far, so encouraging. The problem is on the supply side.

The Skills Gap Has Not Narrowed

Despite years of government schemes, levy-funded training, and industry apprenticeship pushes, the gap between the number of qualified tradespeople and the number of jobs waiting for them has not closed. In some areas it has widened.

Several factors drive this. The construction workforce aged significantly during the pandemic, and a proportion of older tradespeople who took early retirement or changed careers have not returned. Apprenticeship starts have not kept pace with projected demand. And some trades, particularly those requiring specialist qualifications for newer technologies such as heat pumps or EV charge point installation, are genuinely undersupplied relative to where demand is heading.

The CITB's outlook identifies specific trades where the shortfall is most acute, and it forms the basis for its funding and training priorities.

What This Means If You Employ People

For trade employers, the forecast means two things. First, finding experienced staff is likely to stay difficult through the latter half of this decade. Businesses that rely purely on recruitment rather than development are going to find the market increasingly competitive. Second, the CITB levy and grant system is designed to offset some of the cost of training. Employers who are levy-registered and active in the grant system will be better placed to develop their own pipelines rather than waiting for the market to deliver.

If you have not looked at what CITB grants are available for the roles you need, the Construction Workforce Outlook is a reasonable starting point for understanding where funding is likely to be directed.

What This Means If You Are Starting a Trade Career

The outlook for new entrants is genuinely good. Construction work is not going to disappear, and the sectors growing fastest, green retrofitting, electrification, and infrastructure, need qualified hands. Apprenticeship routes in electrical installation, plumbing and heating, and construction management have strong completion-to-employment rates.

Specialist qualifications in heat pumps, solar PV installation, and EV charge point installation are increasingly valued and, for now, relatively rare. Tradespeople who invest in those qualifications now are positioning themselves well before the demand peak arrives.

The Tools Side of the Skills Gap

One aspect of the workforce shortage that does not always get attention is the upskilling required for tools and technology. A traditional bricklayer or groundworker moving into heat pump groundworks or solar roofing installations needs different equipment knowledge, different safety protocols, and different certifications. The tools are different. The measurement and commissioning processes are different.

Trade training providers are adapting, but the pace of change in both technology and regulation means that keeping up requires active investment in skills, not just time served.

Key Takeaways from the CITB Outlook

What is the CITB?

The Construction Industry Training Board is the industry's training levy and funding body. It collects a levy from larger construction employers and distributes grants to fund apprenticeships, training, and skills development across the UK construction sector.

What does the Construction Workforce Outlook cover?

It is an annual report forecasting construction demand over the next five years and assessing whether the workforce supply can meet it. It identifies which trades and roles face the biggest shortfalls and informs CITB's grant and funding priorities.

Is there a skills shortage in UK construction right now?

Yes. Multiple trade sectors are reporting difficulty finding experienced workers, particularly in specialist areas such as heat pump installation, electrical work, and groundworks. The shortage is expected to continue through the rest of the decade.

How can small trade businesses access CITB funding?

If you pay the CITB levy (applicable to most construction employers above a certain payroll threshold), you can claim grants for apprenticeship training, short courses, and other workforce development. The CITB website has a grant finder tool for current schemes.

Which trades have the strongest job prospects in UK construction?

Based on current forecasts, electrical installation, plumbing and heating (particularly heat pumps), groundworking, and bricklaying all have strong demand. Specialist certifications in renewable energy technologies are increasingly sought after.

What is the government's housebuilding target?

The UK government has set a target of 1.5 million new homes in England before 2030. This requires a significant increase in construction workforce capacity across multiple trades. ---

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