The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has today released its Industry Picture 2026. The report presents a wide body of evidence that explores the challenges and opportunities underpinning the construction skills gap, turning data and forecasts into a clear, accessible view of the whole industry. Its aim is to help industry, employers, Government, and training providers understand the significant trends and challenges for construction and where targeted action can have the greatest impact.
The report finds that if the construction industry continues with the same approach, it will encounter a widening gap between project demand and its capacity to deliver.
The widening construction skills gap has been reported by CITB and industry for years. The Industry Picture presents is a longer-term concern – that leaving the gap unaddressed any longer puts the industry at increased risk, and the results will be tangible societal consequences; the homes and infrastructure that communities across the country urgently need will be delayed or cancelled. Another repercussion is more economic; a widening skills gap will limit the volume of work that can be delivered and push up tender prices as firms compete for scarce labour and skills.
The Industry Picture 2026 highlights four connected themes:
- Fewer people are available to the industry
- Demand for construction skills is growing faster than supply
- Too many workers leave industry too soon
- Current productivity levels are insufficient to offset worker shortages.
The report highlights that, to secure its future and deliver on national ambitions, industry must invest more in people, modernise its approach to skills and training, and work collaboratively across the sector. These combined approaches will help industry build capacity, close the skills gap, boost productivity, and remain a key driver of economic growth.
To achieve this, the Industry Picture recommends co-ordinated action to make construction a more attractive career option, connect better training with real job opportunities, improve flexibility to retain more workers at every stage of their career, and make better use of modern technologies.
The report concludes that achieving meaningful progress will require a unified effort from industry leaders, Government bodies, training providers and CITB, all working collaboratively toward a common objective. By working in partnership, industry, Government, and CITB can enable this once-in-a-generation opportunity, reshaping the construction workforce to be more skilled, diverse, and resilient.
Marcus Bennett, CITB Head of Industry Analysis & Forecasting, said:
“Construction is central to the UK’s economic future, yet the industry faces a workforce challenge that is becoming more pressing each year. Not enough people are entering the industry, too many experienced workers are leaving, and productivity has not improved at a sufficient rate to plug the gap. As a result, the industry’s capacity to deliver on housing, infrastructure and retrofit commitments, is under increasing strain.
“The Industry Picture presents a wide body of evidence of what is happening, why challenges persist in construction, and where targeted action can make the greatest impact. Industry, Government, training providers and CITB all have a shared role in building a stronger workforce. The evidence is undeniable: a cross-industry solution is the only option to solve the workforce challenge.
“The report will also help to inform CITB strategy going forward, and we hope it will inspire Government departments to work together and more effectively with training providers and industry to think differently about how we tackle the great opportunities for the industry, enabling us to build a better future.”
To download the full report, visit: www.citb.co.uk/the-industry-picture
