For the UK to deliver its ambitious infrastructure pipeline, it needs a workforce plan to match

Earlier this year, the National Infrastructure & Service Transformation Authority updated its expanded Infrastructure Pipeline by publishing details of 734 planned projects, representing £718 billion of private and public sector investment. This provided the industry and investors with greater visibility of the projects and programmes that will define our sector in the years to come.

Crucially, it also highlighted the scale of the workforce challenge. To deliver its Infrastructure Pipeline, the UK needs around 700,000 workers annually to enter the industry. At the same time, knowing that jobs will be there for future engineers, surveyors, planners and designers, we can confidently say that there has never been a more exciting time to enter the profession. From a water revolution to the transition to renewable energy, high-speed rail to airport expansions, there are myriad high-profile, transformative construction programmes that will be incredibly fulfilling for talented people to work on and will leave a legacy in communities across the country, ensuring a more prosperous, resilient and decarbonised UK

But that can only be achieved if infrastructure companies have enough skilled people to deliver the demand. It is therefore critical that a long-term workforce plan, one that matches the UK’s long-term infrastructure delivery ambitions, is put in place.

So, how do we get there?

Collaboration between government, industry and education is essential.

The good news is, there is already progress being made, and I’m proud to sit on the Construction Skills Mission Board, a new partnership between industry and government (co-chaired by Mark Reynolds, Executive Chairman, Mace Group, and Jacqui Smith, Minister of State at the Department for Education and Department for Work and Pensions) that is working together to tackle the disconnect between training and access to jobs with real-life demand.

Around 50% to 70% of students completing further and higher education in construction are not able to successfully transition into industry careers due to poor alignment between training and employer needs.

One of the crucial issues the industry faces is a lack of alignment between training, career pathways and delivery needs. Skills, which for us could range from welding and tunnelling to computer-aided design and digital twin modelling – need to be paired to the UK’s long term infrastructure programmes where they are needed.

Too often, training, career pathways and delivery needs are not aligned with real demand. A new workforce plan will address this, setting out how to skill and reskill people across the country, while attracting new and young talent into the industry, before lining them up with roles that need to be filled. Costain is planning to hire around 1,200 people this year – more than double from last year – highlighting both the opportunity and the challenge. It could be so much easier through better collaboration. The careers are there for the taking.

Collaboration between government, industry and education is essential

Since 2016, we’ve been one of the four founding sponsors of the London Design and Engineering University Technical College. Located in one of the most deprived boroughs in the country, the college empowers students through an employer-rich curriculum and a focus on practical employability skills. The impact of our close alignment is clear: we’re benefitting from having a strong pipeline of highly skilled, aspirational people with creative, professional and entrepreneurial mindsets. In a recent Ofsted report, London Design & Engineering UTC was award five ‘Exceptional’ judgements, reflects the strength of an employer-led education model that develops young people who are both technically capable and ready for the workplace.

People like Zainab Vaid, whose visit to one of our @Tideway London project sites while she was a student inspired her to pursue a career in engineering. Just a few years later, she became a site engineer on that same project. It’s a perfect example of how, by connecting education with industry, we are inspiring young people, raising aspirations and genuinely improving people’s lives.

As the industry works with the Construction Skills Mission Board to build a national workforce plan, we are building regional skills systems. This co-ordinated regional approach to workforce planning aims to provide a long-term view on the enduring demand for skills, unlocking talent development and sharing across local infrastructure schemes by matching specific skills to project demands when needed. If everyone is drawing from the same talent pool, then we should be working together to grow it. Not only will this improve overall delivery, it builds sustainable, long-term careers for local people on their doorstep. We also have the opportunity to proactively and collectively help NEETs find the right careers for them.

One of the crucial issues the industry faces is a lack of alignment between training, career pathways and delivery needs

Importantly, a regional workforce plan will give confidence to the people who need it most: the future people who make up the industry.

If you’re a young person thinking about what industry to go into, you want to know that there’s a bright future in that industry with a consistent pipeline of exciting opportunities and long-term career path. Joining an industry that offers a very diverse range of career opportunities, and where you can play your part in building a sustainable future for the UK is exciting. I’ve been lucky enough to have a series of adventures in my more than three decades in infrastructure, and I want everyone starting out to feel they can do the same. Building careers is just as important as building bridges.

With infrastructure investment clearly mapped out for the next decade, the opportunity now is for business leaders, educators and policymakers to take action and build a sustained, 25-year infrastructure workforce plan, with training and qualification routes matching real-world demand. This will ensure that the next generation of infrastructure will be delivered for more prosperous, resilient and decarbonised UK.

A long-term strategic workforce plan will prevent the pipeline being just a pipe dream.

Alex Vaughan is chief executive at Costain