Young people should be considering a career in construction, says recruitment leader
Young people should be considering a career in construction, says recruitment leader
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The construction sector in Wales faces a growing skills crisis, with too few young people entering the industry to replace an ageing workforce, according to James Hughes, Managing Director of Sphere Solutions.
Speaking to Businessin Wales, Hughes said that despite high demand for labour across multiple major infrastructure projects, the pipeline of new recruits remains worryingly thin, a problem he believes starts in the classroom.
He said: “We’re just not seeing significant numbers of people under 30 coming through to replace the old guard.”
Sphere Solutions, headquartered in Cardiff with offices across southern England, has specialised in construction recruitment for more than two decades. The firm works with major contractors to fill both permanent and temporary professional roles, from project directors and contract managers to site engineers and quantity surveyors.
Hughes said that while demand for new housing and infrastructure remains strong, the shortage of skilled professionals risks slowing delivery.
He said: “Surveyors, for example, are always high on the required list. They’re a key function on any site, but there’s just not enough quality coming through.”
He also highlighted a lack of diversity as a barrier to growth, calling for wider participation across gender and ethnicity.
He said: “Women in construction is growing, but it’s nowhere near the levels it could be. The same goes for ethnic diversity. No one knows about the careers in construction and if people don’t know, they’re not going to choose it.”
Hughes believes schools should embed practical skills earlier in the curriculum to re-engage students who may otherwise drift away from education.
“Even if someone leaves school at 16, they could be considering a career in construction — in carpentry, brickwork, scaffolding, plumbing or electrical,” he said. “I’m a firm believer that skills should be taught at school anyway as part of a life diploma.”
Since 2021, the WJEC has offered a GCSE in build environment which they say allows “to study the trades and roles within the Built Environment, the tools, technologies and materials used in its construction and maintenance, and the processes involved in its design.”
The recruitment specialist said that demand for construction professionals will only increase as Wales embarks on major projects, from Cardiff’s new arena to the Port Talbot steelworks transformation and the National Grid’s power upgrades.
He urged young people to see construction as a long-term, rewarding career path.
He said: “People I met as trainees are now managing directors and commercial directors. The earning potential is phenomenal, and the camaraderie in construction is second to none. It’s a great industry to be part of and it’s not going anywhere.”
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