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Edinburgh Reporter

Construction industry faces pressure from apprenticeship dropout rate

The high dropout rate of apprentices in the built environment came under the microscope at an Edinburgh roundtable event bringing together key industry figures in Scotland. The event was held at the National Museum of Scotland, where 13 industry professionals gathered to debate Scotland's construction skills crisis. The event was chaired by Rachel Colgan, of PR agency Building Relations, and laid bare the impact of the number of construction-related apprentices leaving before completing their learning, as well as those who quit within 24 months of qualifying. Recent figures from the British Association of Construction Heads (BACH) highlighted a 47% drop out rate for construction apprentices in the UK. This means that only 8,620 construction apprentices reached End Point Assessment (EPA) in 2022/23. To put this into perspective, according to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), there were approximately 33,600 apprenticeship starts in construction in 2022/23. The data also shows that significantly more construction apprentices drop out after 24 months compared to other apprenticeships (17% compared to just 6% in other sectors). Responding to the question: 'Are existing qualifications and apprenticeships still fit for purpose' speakers shared their personal experiences around the issues of training and retaining apprentices, including an example of a young worker who left their trade-based apprenticeship in favour of a better-paying role in the hospitality sector. Some of the reasons for a high drop out rate include: Low pay Demanding job with long hours Young workers wanting the 'big job' before putting in the hard graft Perceptions of working in construction being a job rather than a career Lack of promotion of opportunities in school career advice Post-covid generation seeking a better work/life balance Recruitment drives not inspiring the next generation Research by Skills Development Scotland, 2024, shows that just 8% of young people aged 16–18 in Scotland said they would seriously consider a construction career. At the event some solutions to the crisis proposed included: Outreach to schools, especially targeting underrepresented groups including girls and care-experienced youngsters Provide real progression maps, from entry-level to higher technical or management roles – which many successful apprentices go on to Shorter, focused, and hands-on learning wins over traditional full-time courses Tie learning to real community projects to show purpose and local impact Mike Pratt, Co-founder and Director of InverTay Homes and Timber Engineering UK, listed a number of reasons why he thought apprentices struggled in the construction industry, including: lower wages during training, apprentice courses taking too long to qualify, a growing desire from young people to work reduced hours in pursuit of a better work/life balance, as well as unrealistic wage growth expectations and a gap between industry need and college curriculum. He said: 'Our industry is in desperate need of upskilling an aging workforce as well as a steady intake of young apprentices. We need radical change in the industry to reverse the downward trajectory of apprenticeships and the 'brain drain' from the construction industry. 'There are going to be massive labour shortages for the foreseeable future so we cannot afford to be training people up, just to see them leave the industry straight away. We need a targeted and progressive approach to plug the gaps and ensure the next generation of school leavers want to enter an industry that values them.' The wider purpose of the roundtable was to examine the skills crisis Scotland's construction sector is currently facing amidst growing housing demand and net zero targets. According to Skills Development Scotland, the construction industry must recruit over 48,000 people by 2034 to meet future demand. Other topics discussed included how to prepare the workforce for net zero, new ways to attract people into construction trades and what is needed from Scottish Government, CITB, SDS, or others to unlock progress. The general consensus of roundtable guest was that despite many challenges, the construction industry in Scotland offered a rewarding career path with strong job prospects, diverse opportunities, and the chance to contribute to the country's growing infrastructure and sustainable development. Following the event Rachel Colgan said: 'The roundtable conversation highlighted a stark reality: Scotland's construction sector is grappling with a critical skills shortage, made worse by the high dropout rate among young apprentices. But it also made one thing clear, if we want lasting change, we need to create an environment where young people feel supported and valued. This way young people will be able to understand the amazing career opportunities available to them in this industry.' Jocelyne Fleming, senior policy and public affairs officer for CIOB in Scotland said: 'Scotland's construction sector offers rewarding careers that make a positive difference to the country. 'Our recent survey revealed nearly 75 per cent of young people in Scotland view the construction industry positively, but nearly half were never introduced to it as a potential career path during education. 'We urgently need to strengthen the existing workforce and build a robust talent pipeline. That requires a government-led, strategic, and long-term plan, one that identifies the future demands of our built environment, defines the skills and expertise needed to meet them, and ensures we have the resources to attract, train, and retain the people who will deliver it.' Guests at the roundtable included, Lauren Pennycook, Senior Policy and Government Relations Advisor, CITB, Mike Pratt, Co-founder & Director InverTay Homes, Timber Engineering UK, Steven Kiakowski, Director, The Verdancy Group, Colin Jack, Managing Director of Scotland, Places for People, Gordon Nelson, Director, Federation of Master Builders Scotland, Jim Baxter, Financial Director, Allanwater Homes, Laura McGuigan, Business Development Manager, Kier Construction, Chair of Women in Property, Matt Colgan, Founder, Sustainabuild, Frazer Walker, Head of School, School of Engineering, Construction & Technical Skills, Fife College, Mairi Murray, Head of Sustainability, BakerHicks, Jocelyne Fleming, Senior Policy & Public Affairs Officer for Scotland, Chartered Institute of Building, and Professor Robert Hairstans, Head, Centre for Offsite Construction and Innovative Structures at Edinburgh Napier University, Director, Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) at the New Model Institute of Technology and Engineering (NMITE), Skills and EDI Lead, Centre for Net Zero Carbon High Density Buildings. 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