Youth sentiment on construction careers holds firm, CIOB report shows
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Young people continue to view construction careers positively, with sentiment largely unchanged from last year, according to a new report from CIOB.
News Youth sentiment on construction careers holds firm, CIOB report shows Nadine Buddoo CM People Editor 02.03.26 Image: Ammentorp | Dreamstime.com Young people continue to view construction careers positively, with sentiment largely unchanged from last year, according to a new report from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The report, Attitudes to Construction Careers, includes data from a survey by CIOB, first carried out in 2025 and then repeated in February 2026. The findings, published to coincide with National Careers Week (2-7 March), show that two-thirds (66% 2026 and 68% 2025) of young people aged between 16 and 24 hold a positive view of construction careers, while around a third (30% 2026 and 31% 2025) would consider working in the industry. However, almost half (45% in 2026 and 47% in 2025) of respondents said information about working in construction was not included in the careers advice they received while in education. In addition, more than a quarter (26% in 2026 and 28% in 2025) of the young people surveyed said they do not believe careers in construction are accessible to young people. Addressing the gender gap While a high proportion of female respondents hold a positive view of construction careers, only a quarter say they are likely to pursue a career in the sector, compared with 44% of males. For female respondents, physical work, working outdoors and male dominance were the top three reasons for not wanting to work in construction. Phys...
