Report finds apprenticeship shortfall threatens government housebuilding pledge

While job demand surges across construction, the apprenticeship system that should be feeding these trades is failing to deliver, according to new data.

The ‘Apprenticeship Gap Report’ found that there are almost 405 jobs per apprenticeship opening across trades in the building industry, including construction, electrical and plumbing. 

The research, compiled by Dart Tool Group, analysed data from the Department for Education, the Office of National Statistics (ONS), and job-board site Reed across UK trade sectors, revealing where the skills crisis is most severe, why training pathways are under strain, and what strategic actions employers can take to strengthen their future workforce.

With skilled trades, including bricklaying, plumbing, and roofing, accounting for 10% of England’s workforce, the growing apprenticeship gap directly translates to delayed projects, inflated labour costs, and missed opportunities for businesses nationwide.

The report identifies that within the construction trade, there are almost 100 jobs per apprenticeship place, representing a gap of over 14,000 unfilled positions. The demand for skilled workers is accelerating faster than ever before, with the construction sector alone experiencing a 16% year-on-year increase in vacancies in the first quarter of 2025. 

The plumbing and heating, and electrical trades, which are also vital in the housebuilding sector, see a deficit of 2,000 and 9,700 positions unfilled, respectively, for the year ahead. 

Apprenticeship deficit by trade 

The government’s pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes by 2030 will require around 140,000 additional construction workers each year for the next five years, putting pressure on a labour market which relies heavily on apprenticeships. 

To meet these targets, historic completion rates suggest roughly 700,000 people would need to start programmes to achieve 347,000 completed apprenticeships by 2033. However, completion rates in construction fell to just 41% in 2024/2025, down from 65% completion rate the previous year, highlighting an urgent need to improve retention. 

Average apprenticeship completion rates across industries and top roles

Ryan Paterson, Managing Director at Dart Tool Group, commented: “The findings from our ‘Apprenticeship Gap Report’ have demonstrated that, with a stronger, more effective apprenticeship system and active encouragement and promotion of trade industry jobs, the risk of a widening skills gap can be reduced. 

“The housebuilding sector is facing some of the toughest shortages in recent years, with our data finding a deficit of 99:1. By partnering with local colleges, addressing misconceptions about trade roles, and providing flexible on-site learning, businesses can gradually fill the positions needed to meet the ambitious housebuilding targets. 

“Bridging the labour market gap demands smarter workforce planning, better training frameworks, and professional-grade site tools that enable apprentices to complete their programmes, master technical skills, and build a stronger and more confident workforce without delaying projects further.”

Tim Balcon, CEO, Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), added: “This report demonstrates that, at present, there aren’t clear enough pathways to translate people’s training into jobs. The core issue isn’t that we’re not training enough people – around 130,000 people start some form of construction training that will lead to a qualification every year across Britain. 

“However, about 40,000 of these people will secure employment in the industry after completing their training. Some will progress onto higher level apprenticeships or other forms of construction training, but many don’t enter the industry at all. Better retention of trainees and current workers in construction can significantly reduce the skills shortage. 

“Addressing the skills gap requires large-scale collaboration. As part of the Government’s £600 million construction skills package, we provided £32 million investment to deliver increased industry placements. Similarly, we’re collaborating with the Construction Skills Mission Board to strategically coordinate national and local programmes and initiatives to address workforce needs, engage more SMEs and micro employers to invest in skills, and ensure clear pathways into construction.” 

Methodology

Using the Department for Education’s official statistics for 2021/2022 to 2024/2025, Dart Tool Group examined apprenticeship starts, enrolments, and achievements across Construction, Planning and the Built Environment, and Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies sectors. 

Live apprenticeship openings were captured from official government portals across regions, analysing a total of 809 apprenticeship roles. Job vacancy data was sourced from Reed and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to calculate demand across each sector, highlighting the number of roles currently unfilled and regional variations in labour shortages.