The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has published new data revealing significant shifts in the make‑up of the UK construction workforce, with a larger proportion of young people entering the industry and a growing proportion of on-site workers operating at skilled and advanced levels.
Cardholder data shows that in 2025, more than one in four (25.16%) CSCS cards are now held by individuals under the age of 30. This is up from just 17% in 2021 – marking an eight-percent increase in the share of 20-29-year-olds holding CSCS cards in just four years.
The data challenges the prevailing narrative that fewer young people are choosing careers in construction. One explanation for the shift could be changing career priorities, with more young people seeking skills‑based, AI‑resilient roles offering clear progression routes.
CSCS data also shows an uptick of skilled workers across the industry. Analysis of verified card scan data from the CSCS Smart Check API shows a clear change in skills mix across construction sites. When records began in 2023, just 27% of cards scanned belonged to skilled and advanced workers. By 2025, that figure had increased to over 39%.
Unlike traditional workforce surveys, Smart Check API data provides a real‑time view of workers on site based on card scan behaviours, providing an accurate picture of workforce composition as it happens. The findings suggest that more people arriving on site today are qualified, experienced and operating at higher skill levels than they were just a few years ago.
Sean Kearns, Group Chief Executive, CSCS, said: “At CSCS, we continue to align our technology with the evolving needs of the construction industry. Our digital tools provide unique insight into who is actually working on site and who is entering the industry, based on verified registration data.
“It is incredibly positive to see that young people are choosing construction as a career. Now the focus must be on sustained upskilling and retaining this talent across the industry, ensuring we develop a workforce that is adaptable, futureproof and ready to support long-term growth.”
Rhianna Parker, 22, an Environmental Advisor and CSCS cardholder in the Scottish Highlands, said: “The construction industry offers so many opportunities for young people to progress and discover roles they may never have known existed.
“It’s also a career that’s built around real, hands-on skills that can’t be replaced by AI. While the industry is embracing new technology and greener ways of building, it still relies on people to make decisions, adapt on the ground and turn ideas into reality.
“Through my work, I get to visit incredible sites in amazing locations I’d never have seen otherwise. That’s why I’d always recommend construction and the Built Environment as a future proof, rewarding place for young people to build a career.”