By Paul Inions, Managing Director at McPhillips
Whisper it… but construction is a growth area of the UK economy.
Yes, really – with a 1.5 million new homes target and multi-billion investment in infrastructure projects announced by the Government, we should be entering a boom era for our sector.
But we have a problem. There are not enough people with the right skills to bridge a skills gap more than a generation wide.
It’s National Careers Week and like many employers, McPhillips takes the opportunity to share opportunities on offer and celebrate the progression our people are making.
But we need to do more. We all need to do more. We need employers, skills providers, Government investment to come together – not just to train people but to convince people to train in construction in the first place.
At McPhillips, we’re keenly aware of the misconceptions surrounding careers in construction.
Often perceived as a ‘hard hat’ career of manual labour, the industry’s rich opportunities for innovation, technological integration, and career progression remain underappreciated.
This perception issue demands a strategic response, not just from individual companies but from the entire sector, to ensure construction is rightly seen as a key pillar of our future economy.
With headquarters in Telford and projects across more than 30 sites in the Midlands and the North West, McPhillips employs 240 dedicated professionals.
We are proud to act as a hub for skills development, we have our own training centre and programmes tailored to nurture from apprenticeships to seasoned professionals.
This comprehensive approach underpins our belief that investment in people is as crucial as the capital investment that powers our projects.
Recent research reveals a need for skilled labour that, if unmet, could stymie potential advancements in the sector.
The Construction Skills Network forecasts that an additional 251,500 construction workers will be needed by 2028 to meet growth demands, with construction employment expected to rise to 2.75 million.
But the UK had nearly 100,000 fewer construction workers in September 2024 compared to five years earlier.
At McPhillips, we are responding proactively. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and progression, we are ensuring our workforce is equipped not just for the jobs of today but for the careers of tomorrow.
We do not simply offer jobs; we offer career paths that reward innovation and adaptability, essential traits in our rapidly evolving sector.
The construction industry is a cornerstone of the UK’s future infrastructure and economic health. As such, it deserves recognition as a prime career choice for the next generation of the workforce.
I hope this National Careers Week sees educators, policymakers, and fellow industry leaders recognise the turning point we’re at and come up with some real initiatives which highlight the strategic importance and rewarding nature of construction careers.
If you’d like to know more about how we’re tackling the skills gap, McPhillip’s Stuart Bishop will be on an employer panel at the Skills for Growth 2025 event in Telford on March 13. You can register to attend here.
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