Builders’ Merchants News – Surveys show young people and parents have positive perception of construction but reservations remain

Surveys of 16-24-year-olds and parents, conducted by the Chartered Institute of Building, explore perceptions of the industry as well as what influences careers choices.

New insights into how positively young people and parents view careers in the construction industry have been released by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

Surveys of 6-24-year-olds and parents of young people in that age range explored perceptions of the industry as well as what influences careers choices. Both surveys were conducted by Opinion Matters in early February 2025, among a sample of 2,001 young people aged 16-24, and a sample of 2,000 UK Parents, aged 31+, with children aged 16-24 years old, respectively.

Two thirds (65%) of young people surveyed hold a positive view of construction careers while more than three quarters (79%) of parents are supportive of their child pursuing a career in the sector. Just under half (42%) said they would recommend a career in construction to their child.

More than 40% (43%) of parents surveyed said they’d prefer their child to “earn while they learn” instead of going to university, reflecting concerns over the well documented rising costs of university education and lack of graduate opportunities. 

More than half of the young people (53%) said they’d be interested in studying a built environment GCSE while almost two thirds (64%) of parents said they’d encourage their children to take this subject were it to be available.

However, both surveys highlighted how perceptions of poor workplace culture, male dominance and construction not being a respected career remain rife. “Male dominated”, “physical work” and “unsafe” were the most chosen options by young people for not wanting to work in the construction sector.

As a further setback, almost half (47%) of young respondents said information about working in construction was not included in the careers advice they received while in education. More than a quarter (28%) don’t believe careers in construction are accessible to young people.  

David Barnes, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at CIOB, said: “It seems we’re seeing a positive change in perceptions of working in construction from ones that historically have been fairly negative and this we hope will be welcomed by the industry. We firmly believe there’s more that can be done at government level to improve access to construction careers, like the creation of a built environment GCSE in England and a review of careers advice, but employers can also help make the sector more attractive to young people.”

The survey showed parents, friends and people they know working in the sector were the top three influences on young people’s perceptions of working in construction, while family, friends and social media have the biggest influences on their career choices more generally.

Presented with a list of fields of work, the top three selected by the 2,000 young people were digital and tech, project management and health and safety. The parents surveyed would most like their children to work in computing and tech, business and finance, and construction. As the third most preferred option construction ranked higher than healthcare, education, legal, creative and media, sport and leisure, armed forces, manufacturing, transport, tourism, retail and beauty.

Flexible working (49%), a good benefits package (42%) and career development funded by the employer (27%) were the top three choices by young people when asked what features offered by an employer would make them most likely to apply for a job.

CIOB hopes its findings will help construction employers better understand which aspects of jobs appeal to young people and what influences their career decisions so job adverts, job descriptions and working practices and policies can be adapted to attract a wider range of applicants.

Barnes continued: “Offering and promoting the things we know matter to them such as flexible working, development opportunities and employee benefits wherever possible could all help attract more to consider the sector as a career option. It’s also important the industry works to overcome some of the negative perceptions around diversity, physical labour and safety as these are seemingly putting some young people off.

“Our survey highlights how roles spanning data and technology, project management and health and safety all appeal to young people. Construction offers roles in all three areas, but we need to do more to sell these and dispel myths that all jobs are trade based or working on building sites. It’s also clear many young people are heavily influenced by social media so it’s important for our industry, including employers, to keep pace with that.  

“Here at CIOB we’ve recently launched our own TikTok channel to reach a younger audience for example. Parents are also influential, and a high percentage hold construction careers in high regard while many say they’d prefer their children to earn while they learn instead of going to university, something which the construction industry can offer.

“It’s time to make the most of the changes in attitudes we’re seeing and convert that positivity into more young people opting to join what those of us already in the sector know to be an exciting, fairly paid industry with amazing opportunities to learn and develop in a hugely rewarding career.”

Young people survey key findings:

• Almost half of young people surveyed selected working on building site in their top three options for describing construction careers. It was the most chosen option.
• 36% say construction is not a respected career path
• 35% say the industry has a poor workplace culture
• 53% say the industry is not welcoming to women
• 28% feel careers in construction are not accessible to young people
• 25% say they think their parents would be embarrassed if they pursue a career in construction. Only 8% of parents said they’d be embarrassed if their child worked in construction.  
• 47% say construction was not covered in careers advice they received while in education.  

Parents survey key findings:

• Women are more likely to have a high level of discussion about careers with their children than men (41% v 35%)
• 65% hold positive view of construction careers (71% men v 62% female)
• Almost two thirds (64%) of parents said they’d encourage their children to take a built environment GCSE were one to be available.
• More than three quarters (79%) would be supportive of their child working in construction with only six per cent saying they’d be unsupportive.  
• More than 40 per cent (43%) said they’d prefer their child to “earn while they learn” instead of going to university.