# National Careers Week sees call for construction recruitment drive

By David Barnes — 2026-03-30

A nation-wide campaign to promote the varied and rewarding careers on offer across the UK construction sector is needed to cut unemployment, reduce the skills gap and deliver on Government housing and infrastructure ambitions, says the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

David Barnes, head of policy and public affairs at CIOB, said: “This National Careers Week (W/C 2 March), we’re calling on Government to go further to support the construction industry in recruiting the hundreds of thousands of people needed to deliver ambitious housing and infrastructure commitments.

“Our new ‘Attitudes to Construction Careers’ report shows three quarters of parents and two thirds of young people aged 16-24 view construction careers positively, but many don’t understand the full range of roles available including those that aren’t based on building sites or outdoors, or those that use innovative technology and data for example.

“It’s shocking 946,000 young people aged 16 to 24 are not in education, employment or training, and meanwhile it is estimated the construction industry needs an extra 240,000 extra workers by 2029. We believe a national campaign, similar to those for the Armed Forces and teaching, showcasing the exciting and rewarding careers available in construction would inspire some to join the industry, bringing down these terrible statistics and boosting the industry to deliver the much-needed new homes and infrastructure the Government has committed to.”

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