Building tomorrow’s workforce
When Construction Futures officially launched in August 2024, it set out to do more than raise awareness. Our mission, born from the EY Industry Skills Review and jointly led by employers through the Construction Employers Federation (CEF) and employee representatives Unite and GMB, was to inform, attract, develop and retain the people who will shape the built environment for decades to come.
Twelve months later, that mission has moved from concept to visible progress. Programmes are scaling, digital engagement is growing, and the conversation about skills is shifting from why to how.
Attracting talent in a digital age
Facing ongoing skills shortages and a complex training landscape, our first priority was to inform, dispel common misconceptions and attract new talent in a way that connects with today’s students and career-changers. Drawing on the Construction Employers Federation’s 2025 industry survey, our high-impact social media campaigns spotlight the roles employers need most – technical posts such as contracts managers, quantity surveyors, site managers, health and safety officers, and estimators, alongside trade careers including bricklayers, ground workers, plasterers, and plumbers.
These campaigns feature real people in Northern Ireland sharing their experiences, required skills, and the training routes to reach those jobs. Short videos and interactive posts break down salary bands and progression paths in formats younger audiences actually use, helping them see how to get started. Since February 2025, Construction Futures has generated more than 2 million social media views, and feedback from schools and employers shows a clear rise in awareness in just over a year.
Building on that digital success, the upcoming Open Doors 2026 initiative (23 -28 March) uses an enhanced online platform to let schools and companies connect, book visits, and share resources reducing administration and widening participation across Northern Ireland. Already, many employers have signed up to showcase live sites, offices and factories, giving pupils a first-hand look at the industry and giving businesses an efficient way to engage.
AI and the digital shift in construction
The rise in digital outreach is not just changing how we attract talent, it signals a deeper transformation within construction itself. A recent Association for Project Management survey shows that 75 per cent of project professionals now use AI in their projects, up from just 15 per cent two years ago. AI tools are increasingly applied to resource allocation, reporting and dashboarding, risk forecasting, schedule automation, and stakeholder communications.
Construction has historically been less automated than many other sectors and so the potential gains from AI and automation are significant, improved safety, greater efficiency, and support for an industry facing persistent skills shortages. However, without a shared definition of “digital construction,” stronger leadership, and clear standards, adoption could remain patchy and uneven.
As AI becomes embedded in planning, scheduling, safety assessments, diagnostics, and efficiency tools, new technical fluency is becoming essential. Even roles once considered non-technical must understand how digital data informs decision-making. From site managers interpreting real-time analytics to quantity surveyors modelling cost scenarios, tomorrow’s workforce needs a comfort level with technology that was optional only a few years ago.
The human skills AI cannot replace
Technology alone cannot build a school, a bridge, or a home. Digital twins, robotics, and generative design are reshaping workflows, but the core of our industry remains human skill and creativity. Reports across the UK and Ireland are clear – automation will change tasks, but AI cannot physically build.
Bricklayers, joiners, plasterers, and site managers bring dexterity, judgement, and on the spot problem-solving that algorithms cannot match. Technical specialists, estimators, surveyors, project managers are equally irreplaceable in interpreting data and coordinating complex builds. Recognising this is critical. As we adopt AI for planning, safety monitoring, and supply-chain optimisation, we must invest equally in the trades and technical expertise that keep projects real.
A balanced pipeline of apprenticeships
Northern Ireland’s apprenticeship data highlights that dual focus. The Department for the Economy’s ApprenticeshipsNI framework for 2024 shows an almost even split between trade and technical apprenticeships across Levels 2, 3 and Higher-Level Apprenticeships, an encouraging sign that both site-based and office-based careers are attracting interest. Training organisations are already reporting record intakes for trade apprenticeships the current academic year.
This strong uptake proves that young people are ready to build, yet apprentices already face hurdles: securing an employer sponsor for a course can be difficult, and bigger obstacles loom if the long-term pipeline of work is uncertain. Can the industry and government provide enough high-quality placements and clear progression routes to meet demand, while also guaranteeing a long-term pipeline of projects so those apprentices have work when they qualify?
The Department for the Economy recently launched a welcomed Apprenticeship Action Plan to make the system more effective and innovative, grow employer and learner participation, and widen access to groups traditionally excluded from employment. But without close collaboration from the Department for Infrastructure to guarantee a sustained pipeline of construction projects, those construction apprentices could still emerge into a market lacking opportunities.
Meeting this challenge requires joined-up action across government, education providers and industry – expanding apprenticeship capacity, aligning courses with real-world needs, and critically ensuring the work is there when apprentices qualify. Sustained infrastructure investment, quicker planning decisions and clear multi-year visibility of upcoming projects will decide whether today’s apprentices step into thriving careers or face yet another hurdle to clear.
E: info@constructionfuturesni.com
W: www.constructionfuturesni.com
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