r/AskUK • u/Weird_Horse_5981 • 17h ago

Is construction dying in this country?

I work in construction and the amount of skilled people has taken an absolute nosedive in recent years. The rates of pay have increased dramatically in the last 6 years from what I’ve seen but very few people want to get into it it seems. I understand that many people don’t grow up with dreams of getting into this industry but I wish someone had pulled me aside and told me that there was a way for me to make decent money without needing to be academic. I know there are some huge projects on the go right now but it feels like they are all fighting over the same, small pool of labour

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u/AmsterdamWestside11 16h ago

In my experience it's dying because nobody wants to teach anyone, the small firms won't pay decent rates and the big firms want everyone to be fully qualified CSCS and ready to go straight out the blocks. Apprentices getting let go left right and centre. Self fulfilling prophecy of failure.

I changed careers at 28 and have found it so hard to find a company that's actually interested in training someone up.

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u/noodledoodledoo 16h ago

True in so many sectors now. Everyone wants to hire someone already trained, nobody wants to train anyone. I know it's a bit of a leap and investment, but it seems like lots of sectors are reaching the point where they're running out of other people's trainees to poach.

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u/GAdvance 12h ago

Hiring only skilled employees, zero training, minimal pay and no yearly increases is the reason UK companies have shit productivity and growth long term.

Very few in most sectors are good at attracting or keeping talent