Britain’s multi-billion-pound construction pipeline is under threat, as new data reveals the industry must recruit 61,000 new workers annually* – putting the Government’s five-year investment plan in jeopardy – including Labour’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes by 2030.

According to CV-Library, the UK’s leading job for construction roles*, demand continues to grow, with job vacancies surging by 7.9% between January and July 2025, based on market wide data analysis. That being said, with a 14% decline in the workforce over the past five years, 15% of workers now over 60 (CITB data), growing concern as to “who will build Britain” exacerbates.

To understand construction professionals’ sentiment of the industry, CV-Library conducted a survey of 625 workers that paints a stark picture of the workforce:

• 52% of construction workers haven’t had a pay rise in a year.
• 66% believe employers don’t invest in upskilling.
• 52% cite lack of career progression as their top frustration.
• 58% claim access to training and development is lacking.
• 30% would only stay in their current job if offered a higher wage.

Lee Biggins, Founder and CEO of CV-Library explains what the skills shortage could mean for Labour’s 1.5 million homes pledge:

“Urgent action is needed to ensure the talent is there to build Britain. Labour’s pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes by 2030 won’t be possible without the workforce to build it. Without confronting the growing construction talent gap head on, these ‘homes of the future’ won’t be built.

The industry is under significant pressure and there needs to be urgent investment in skills if the Government is serious about delivering the UK’s major infrastructure goals. More needs to be done to retain existing workers and attract in new workers through apprenticeships and career changes.

For those seeking a career change, the construction industry is one of the few sectors with big investment and a jobs boom. There are a wide range of roles in demand, with many of them being largely AI-proof, offering more job security.” 

Despite the challenges, CV-Library analysed job market data which shows a strong interest and demand in construction roles in 2025, especially in regions like the West Midlands and North West, where application volumes remain high.

The 10 most in-demand job vacancies across construction include:

• Project Managers (£71,977 average)
• Quantity Surveyors (£59,975 average)
• Site Managers (£65,244 average)
• Labourers (£28,892 average)
• Senior Quantity Surveyor (£79,514 average)
• Groundworkers (£38,608 average)
• Senior Project Managers (£81,750 average)
• Estimators (£55,822 average)
• Site Engineers (£71,162 average)
• Building Surveyors (£54,211)

Methodology

Nationwide market data used to analyse CV-Library’s status as the UK’s leading job board for construction roles.

Job trends: CV-Library analysed market-wide job posting data, comparing vacancy rates from January to July 2025 compared to the previous six months.

Referenced Data: Labour demand forecasts were sourced from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

Survey: CV-Library conducted a survey of 625 construction workers in March 2025 to gather insights on workforce sentiment.

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