Lee Bryer, CITB Insights Manager, explains that as workforce mobility declines, the industry must shift towards place-based skills strategies to meet regional demand…

 Traditionally, workforce mobility has been one of the construction industry's greatest strengths. When demand surged in one part of the country, skilled workers travelled to where they were needed, helping employers deliver housing, infrastructure and major commercial projects.

However, workforce mobility appears to be changing. We’ve recently published research – the Workforce Mobility and Skills in the UK report – which suggests workers are becoming less willing to travel long distances for employment, with family and lifestyle considerations playing a growing role in decisions about where to work.

The government’s recent announcement on offering technical education routes for students, with connections to local employers and linked to jobs available in their local area, is incredibly welcome. As construction workers become less willing to travel long distances, this could have implications for the government’s housebuilding and infrastructure delivery plans. Labour demand will not be evenly distributed across the country, and some regions will need significantly more workers than others. 

It's easy to see this trend as a challenge. I believe it should be viewed as an opportunity.

A localised construction workforce

Our new research shows workers are becoming less willing to travel long distances for employment, and in the last 12 months, a third (34%) of construction workers have worked no more than 20 miles away. Just over a quarter (28%) have worked more than 50 miles away from their permanent or current home, a decrease from 32% in 2022.  While mobility will always remain an important part of the industry's DNA, the traditional model of moving large numbers of workers around the country may become less influential in meeting future skills demand.

If fewer workers are willing to relocate or travel, then employers may find skills shortages becoming increasingly localised. The industry's traditional solution of moving labour to projects may become less effective.  

The answer lies in developing more place-based skills strategies. Rather than relying on workers arriving from elsewhere, employers, CITB and government will need to focus on developing local talent pipelines that align with local demand. This includes stronger links between employers, colleges and training providers, as well as better labour market intelligence to identify upcoming shortages before they emerge. 

Strengthening regional approaches to workforce development

For many years, skills planning has often been viewed through a national lens. While national strategies remain important, local labour markets are becoming increasingly significant.

As powers and funding continue to be devolved, there is an opportunity to better align skills investment with local economic priorities. This means understanding specific workforce requirements of respective regions and ensuring training provision responds directly to the needs of employers and upcoming projects.

A place-based approach enables local leaders, employers and training providers to work together to identify emerging skills gaps before they become critical. It helps ensure training priorities are relevant to local employment opportunities. And it creates stronger pathways into construction careers for people who want to build a future close to where they live. By developing skills that are transferable across projects and sectors, it can also give workers greater long-term career resilience while helping employers respond more flexibly to changing demand.

Businesses that have traditionally relied on attracting workers from outside their region may find recruitment becomes more challenging in the years ahead. The competitive advantage will increasingly belong to organisations that invest in developing local talent pipelines and build stronger relationships with schools, colleges, training providers and communities.

This is not simply about responding to labour shortages. It's about creating a more resilient workforce.

Collaborating to support local skills development

At CITB, we have been working closely with Mayoral Strategic Authorities, regional leaders and industry partners to better understand local labour market needs and support skills plans that reflect regional priorities.

Last year, we launched our national initiative to create a connected Construction Skills Ecosystem across England, aligning national and regional priorities. The first-of-its-kind agreement was signed in Liverpool by Mayor Steve Rotheram and marked a major step forward in ensuring the region has the skilled workforce needed by helping to tackle its estimated shortfall of 9,000 building workers in the Liverpool City Region. The future success of the construction industry will depend not only on how many people we recruit and train, but also on how effectively we connect skills development to the places where those skills are needed most. By strengthening local skills pipelines and creating sustainable career opportunities, we can help ensure that talent is not only developed locally but retained locally too.

The opportunity ahead

Our research shows that construction's future workforce may be less mobile than previous generations. Therefore, CITB, government and industry now need to work together to make sure skills strategies are place-based, so that those in training can take on the jobs that are in demand in their local area, while existing workers and employers are better equipped to respond to changing local skills needs. The increasing localisation of labour markets should not be seen as a barrier to growth. Instead, it presents an opportunity to rethink how we develop construction skills across the UK.

By adopting more place-based approaches, we can create training systems that are better aligned with regional economies, help employers access the talent they need, and ensure local people can benefit from the opportunities created by major investment and development.

Construction has always adapted to changing circumstances. The shift towards more local labour markets is simply the next chapter. If we respond in the right way, it could help create a stronger, more resilient workforce for the future.

Find out more about CITB’s Workforce Mobility and Skills in the UK Construction Sector research here: www.citb.co.uk/news/updates-insights-and-stories/workforce-mobility-research-shows-that-skills-strategies-must-become-more-localised