Construction Apprenticeship Starts Fall for Second Year in a Row

INTEREST in construction apprenticeships waned for a second year running in 2023/24 as apprenticeship starts fell by 1.4%, following a 5% drop the previous year.

This is according to Protrade’s 2025 State of Construction report.

Overall, construction apprenticeship starts have decreased by 14% since the 2021/22 peak of 26,060 new apprentices.

In 2023/24, 24,230 new apprentices entered the UK construction industry. While this isn’t as low as 2020/21 figures (19,960), Protrade says the current numbers are still nowhere near the amount needed to meet the government’s plan to build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.

Women Make Up One in Ten Construction Apprentices

Across the UK, 2,420 women entered the construction industry in 2024. This was an increase of 7% on the previous year, making it the best year for new female apprentices entering the sector.

Women now represent over 10% of the construction apprentice intake which is a historic high for the sector, increasing from 9.2% of all apprentices in 2022/23.

In comparison, 460 fewer male apprentices joined the industry in 2023/24 from 2022/23’s intake.

North West Leads Apprenticeship Starts

Regionally, the North West leads the charge with 4,040 new apprentice recruits joining the UK construction industry in 2023/24.

This is 23% higher than the runner up region – the South West – which saw 3,280 new starters. The South East ranked third with 3,150 new starters, closely followed by Yorkshire and the Humber (3,050) and the East of England (2,400).

London officially saw the fewest number of new construction apprentices, with only 1,930 people beginning a course between 2023/24. This was closely followed by the East Midlands (1,990), and the North East (2,030).

Increase in Apprentice Diversity

The UK construction industry saw 1,920 new apprentices from ethnic minority backgrounds in 2023/24, a slight increase (120 pupils) on 2022/23’s intake. This represents a 43% increase in ethnic minorities starting construction apprenticeships compared with 5 years ago.

However, the rate of increase in apprentices from ethnic backgrounds is increasing at a much slower rate than the past 2 years. The number of apprentices from ethnic minority backgrounds joining the industry in 2023/24 rose by only 1% compared to the staggering 42% seen in 2021/22.

Drop in Young Apprenticeship Entrants

Last year saw a drop in construction apprenticeship entrants aged 18 and under, with 16-year-old apprentice numbers dropping by 4%. The intake also dropped for 17-year-olds (2%) and 18-year-olds (1%).

Apprentices aged between 19-24 still make up the highest proportion of new intakes, with 8,310 from this age group entering the sector in the 2023/24. However, this figure represents a decline of 9% since 2021/22.

Closing the Skills Gap

Des Duddy, Protrade Joint Managing Director

Building on the results of the report, Protrade’s Joint Managing Director Des Duddy has shared his key steps for industry to ensure the construction sector boosts apprenticeships numbers.

1. Change the Perception – Talk About Salaries and Benefits

“The construction industry should work together to transform the perception of the construction sector. Apprenticeships are becoming better paid, 18% rise in the minimum hourly rate for an apprenticeship planned for April 2025, taking earnings to £7.55 an hour,” says Des.

“In addition to this, salaries of construction professionals are consistently high, with the sector salary average being £42,500. Moreover, an experienced bricklayer could expect to earn £45,000 per year whilst an experienced building surveyor could earn £55,000 annually – significantly higher than the UK median average earnings, which were £37,340 in 2024. However, 57% of the public assume construction salaries are below the UK average.

“Better communicating the economic opportunities of construction is a step that the industry must begin to take more readily.”

2. Attract More Women into Construction

“Despite a record breaking year for women entering construction, there still remains huge opportunity to attract more females into this space, with construction apprenticeships still lagging 7% behind STEM apprenticeships more broadly in terms of female representation,” adds Des.

“Solutions to boosting apprenticeships amongst females may be to offer greater flexibility in what can often be quite rigid apprenticeship structures, whilst also communicating powerful and relatable case studies of young women succeeding in construction – social media is a great avenue for this.”

3. Start Engaging Gen Alpha Now

“Gen Alpha, those who are 14 years and below, of all demographics, must be introduced to the opportunities and benefits that construction work includes. This includes showcasing the sheer variety of different job roles that are available within construction, as well as the benefits to this learning environment compared with further education alternatives.

“Important influencers of these age groups include teachers as well as parents and carers, encouraging those groups to view construction differently may be just as impactful as engaging school-aged children themselves,” Des concludes.

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