Engineering Construction Talent: Built Environment Facing Critical Demand by 2030
At James Gray, we specialise in connecting top talent with industry-leading organisations across the **built environment**—from civil infrastructure and structural engineering to building services and project delivery. Right now, we’re seeing a powerful trend reshape our sector: the **demand for engineering construction talent is set to peak by 2030**, and the market is already feeling the pressure.
Sector Forecast: Workforce Needs to Grow by 19% by 2030
According to the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), the UK’s engineering construction workforce will need to grow from 114,000 in 2023 to around 135,000 by 2030—a 19% increase in just seven years.
“We are entering a critical period. The demand for skilled workers to deliver major infrastructure and net-zero projects is rising rapidly, and without immediate action, delivery will be at risk.”
— Andrew Hockey, CEO, ECITB
From major transport upgrades to new energy infrastructure and complex urban regeneration, the built environment is at the centre of national growth—and talent is now the key constraint.
Roles in the Built Environment Under Pressure
Across the construction and engineering sectors, our clients are increasingly looking for:
- Civil Engineers & Structural Engineers
- Project Managers & Site Managers
- Building Services Engineers (Mechanical & Electrical)
- Design Managers & CAD/BIM Technicians
- Cost Consultants & Quantity Surveyors
Within our own placements, we’ve seen a 28% rise in demand for building services professionals and a 33% increase in requests for project delivery teams supporting new-build infrastructure and retrofit schemes—particularly in housing, healthcare, and energy.
An Ageing Workforce Creates Urgency
Over 1 in 5 workers in the engineering construction workforce are aged 55+, and retirements are accelerating. For the built environment, this represents a significant loss of technical knowledge and delivery capacity at a time when public and private sector projects are ramping up.
> “Clients are not just recruiting for growth—they’re recruiting to avoid a knowledge vacuum. Replacing outgoing talent with experienced, site-ready professionals is now business-critical.”
> — Mario Fionda, Director, James Gray Recruitment
Energy Transition, Retrofit & MMC Drive Demand
The shift toward low-carbon construction, modern methods of construction (MMC), and **retrofitting existing assets is creating new hiring pressure. In fact, the ECITB predicts that demand in net-zero related roles will outstrip supply by 28% by 2028.
We're seeing this particularly in:
- High-performance building envelope specialists
- Sustainable M\&E design engineers
- Low-carbon construction project teams
- Data-literate planners and cost engineers
As delivery models evolve, clients are seeking candidates with cross-sector agility—those able to move between traditional build, infrastructure, and energy environments.
How We're Responding
As specialists in the built environment, we’re helping clients across the UK respond to these labour challenges by:
- Sourcing transferable talent** from sectors like oil & gas, rail, and utilities
- Placing emerging professionals in structured development roles
- Advising on inclusive, flexible hiring models to broaden candidate pools
- Supporting frameworks, councils, and Tier 1 contractors with long-term workforce planning
We also partner with industry bodies to raise awareness of the built environment as a career destination for younger and more diverse talent.
Looking Ahead
With the engineering construction sector expected to hit peak labour demand by 2030, the time to act is now. Whether you're delivering major infrastructure, modernising estates, or scaling new housing programmes, a strategic workforce plan is essential—and so is the right recruitment partner.
At James Gray, we’re committed to helping shape the future of the built environment by connecting the best people with the projects that matter.
Need help identifying, attracting or retaining top construction and engineering talent?
Let’s talk about how we can support your next phase of growth.