The Crisis in Construction Apprenticeships: What Needs to Change

The UK construction industry is facing a mounting crisis in apprenticeship recruitment and retention, with nearly half of all apprentices not completing their training.

This growing challenge is deepening the skills shortage in an industry that is vital to the country’s infrastructure and economy.

Recent figures from the British Association of Construction Heads (BACH) show that only 8,620 apprentices reached their End Point Assessment in 2022/23 – just a fraction of the estimated 96,000 new workers needed each year.

The dropout rate now stands at a worrying 47%. Meanwhile, the number of new apprentices entering the sector continues to decline, with a 1.4% drop recorded in 2023/24 and a 14% fall since 2021/22.

Lauren Eden, Business Manager for Further Education at recruitment specialists The Protocol Group, has seen the impact of the crisis firsthand. She said:

“We urgently need to address the barriers that are stopping apprentices from completing their training.

“That means providing better support throughout the process, ensuring training is accessible and relevant, and securing the funding needed to properly resource our Further Education colleges.

“The talent is out there – but without the right structure and support, we risk losing it before it even gets started.”

To help improve apprenticeship retention and attract new entrants, here are some key areas that Lauren feels should be focused on.

Make construction attractive to the next generation

Lauren said:

“To attract the next generation to construction – and to entice lecturers to teach these subjects – we need to showcase the advantages of the industry and debunk outdated myths.

“One effective way we can do this to attract the younger generation is use platforms they spend a lot of time on, such as social media. TikTok and Instagram can be a great tool to create short, snappy content to show the benefits and importance of the construction industry – making it an attractive career is essential.

“Debunking myths – such as the industry is for ‘low-skilled’ workers – can be done by highlighting the benefits and using real people as case studies. Getting experienced workers to talk about their career in highly-skilled roles, such as project management, engineering, design, BIM (building Information Modelling) and even advancing in their career, can be powerful.”

Targeted support for apprentices

Lauren continued:

“We also need to improve the support available to apprentices once they’re on placement. That means offering tailored employability training and helping them build the confidence and skills they need to succeed in real-world placements.

“We should also be extending that support once an apprenticeship has finished, checking in and making sure they have left ready to succeed.”

Highly-trained lecturers

“In order to keep these students engaged and inspired, we need the right lecturers and teachers to provide high-quality training,” Lauren said.

“We also need to encourage experienced professionals from the construction industry to transition into teaching by highlighting the rewarding aspect of passing on their expertise to the next generation.

“Promoting the benefits of this career is one way we can attract these candidates, offering competitive salaries, job security and a strong benefits package (such as pension schemes, healthcare and professional development opportunities) can help make teaching in construction a more attractive career option.”

Lauren added:

“It is the perfect storm, this could be the ideal time for experienced professionals to down their tools and explore a rewarding career change into teaching or lecturing, encouraging students and showcasing first-hand experience of what a career in the industry looks like.”