Andrew OrrissThe UK’s construction industry has, not for the first time, a trading activity issue. Demand for housing and infrastructure is at an all-time high and the pressure to hit net zero looms large.
There are an estimated 159,000 children living in temporary accommodation and the government is targeting building an ambitious 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament, yet the workforce required to deliver them is shrinking.
Research suggests the sector has over 140,000 vacancies and by 2035 will lose more than a third of the existing workforce to retirement. According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), over 250,000 extra construction workers are required by 2028 to meet demand. If we’re to find a solution, it’s time to act and take a bold approach to workplace skills and training.
For many young people brought up on a diet of perpetual wireless connectivity, the misperception of an 8 – 10-hour shift on a wintery building site doesn’t exactly get the juices flowing. To address this, Britain’s structural timber manufacturers are working hard to provide the kind of skilled workplace environment that school and university leavers would rush to work in.
On-site construction is well paid and contrary to some beliefs doesn’t always involve working in adverse weather. It also provides great opportunities for those who see the sector as a medium to long-term career.
The use of structural timber in construction involves the production of structural components off-site in the comfortable confines of a high-tech factory. And with automation and artificial intelligence playing an increasingly prominent role, human capital is freed up to focus on everything from design to business strategy.
As well as the high housing targets, we must also consider the UK’s net zero ambitions when discussing the skills shortage. Construction has a central role to play in decarbonisation which will require new skills and capabilities.
Timber’s low-carbon credentials are well known, so establishing a workforce trained in how to build, design and manufacture safely and efficiently in timber will create demand for the long-term rather than short-term fixes.
At the Structural Timber Association (STA), we are committed to education and training for members to ensure that they can deliver a highly skilled, quality service. The STA has rolled out its installer and designer training schemes and provides education and skills development to ensure that those members with accreditation are operating to the highest quality standards.
We also have a dedicated skills and training committee, established to ensure that the STA supply training that is relevant and needed throughout the sector as well as ensuring that our education content is current, robust, and meets all workplace and regulatory requirements.
In 2024 we launched our Skills Hub. The Hub has been created to provide STA members, the structural timber community and the wider construction industry with the latest information and guidance on sector specific skills, training, and education. In 2026 we will be rolling out a set of CPD courses, and we are working closely with the National House Building Council (NHBC) to support the launch of their Timber Frame training hub which is set to go live in Q1 2026.
Furthermore, the STA supports the NHBC’s Level 2 Apprenticeship in Construction Assembly and Installation for Timber Frame as part of the wider effort to tackle the skills gap and meet government housebuilding targets. This ensures they have the latest skills and knowledge to train the next generation of timber frame installers.
More recently, we’ve developed a learning journey for developers that brings them face-to-face with Scotland’s high-performing timber frame housing sector, which currently delivers 92% of Scottish homes. The programme showcases the entire timber supply chain, from sustainably managed forests and sawmills to engineered timber factories and live housing sites. Our goal is to demonstrate how timber offers a credible solution to the skills shortage, while providing a high-quality, sustainable route to scaling up housing delivery.
We’ve also contributed towards the development of the Timber in Construction (TiC) Policy Roadmap as part of the CTI (Confederation of Timber Industries). The Roadmap identifies several opportunities to increase skills, capacity and competency across the timber construction supply chain. This includes improving the visibility of forestry and timber construction as careers at school, promoting Design and Technology (D&T) qualifications in colleges, and increasing the volume of apprenticeships.
Human capital is perhaps the single biggest determinant of business performance. We are proud to be going all out to drive a skills revolution in structural timber and the construction industry as a whole.
Andrew Orriss is CEO of the Structural Timber Association
