CONSTRUCTION & BIM
BUILDING THE FUTURE
While the industry battles a long-standing shortage of labour and a declining number of young people entering the workforce—could artificial intelligence be the key to attracting the next generation? Watts explores whether the modernisation and diversification brought about by AI can help bridge the gap in its workforce.
AI is revolutionising most if not all work industries, and construction is no exception. Advanced technologies, including machine learning and computer vision, are being implemented into various facets of the sector to improve efficiency in areas such as planning, safety, quality control and overall productivity.
Although AI has the potential to revolutionise construction processes, what about areas of construction that remain beyond the reach of automation?
One long-existing challenge in the industry is a shortage of skilled human labour on job sites. With an ageing workforce and declining uptake of young people in construction-based roles, the UK sector, according to the CITB, is said to need an extra 250,000 workers over the next four years to meet the UK’s building output demand.
The following article from Watts discovers if the modernisation and diversification brought by AI, could help bridge this workforce gap in construction.
The current workforce gap Although the construction industry holds many benefits such as diverse daily tasks, competitive pay, and options for progression, the industry has faced challenges when it comes to attracting and retaining a sufficient workforce.
As it stands, in the first quarter of 2024, 2.1 million people were employed in the the construction industry, however,
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according to industry body CITB, construction will need to see an extra 250,000 workers over the next four years to meet the UK’s output demand which is currently resulting in a decline in project starts, and contract awards across the country.
Construction has long struggled with an ageing workforce, with the average construction worker said to be around 50 years old. According to the 2021 census, 33% of workers were aged 35–45, 31% were 50–64, and only 9% were aged 16–24, demonstrating the decline we are seeing in young people entering the sector compared to previous years.
A lack of uptake As part of a broader initiative, industry bodies have been advocating for years that one way to address a declining workforce is by attracting more young people into the construction sector.
Like many industries, as construction recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, industry bodies have emphasised the importance of attracting a wide range of talent from early on including recent graduates, early-career professionals, career changers, and those newly entering the workforce.
However, to this day, apprenticeships – a primary entry point to the sector – remain low.
According to UCAS, in 2024, while over half a million students will enter full-time undergraduate programs,
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