Newly released data from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), marking Scottish Apprenticeship Week, shows construction tops parental preferences for their child’s career path and apprenticeships are a popular choice over other routes such as university.

A survey of parents of 16–24-year-olds across Scotland* showed apprenticeships are their preferred career paths for young people while the construction industry specifically was among the top sectors chosen by almost a third (29%) of parents for their children to work in, beating healthcare (25%) and computing and technology (24%).  

Apprenticeships were strongly favoured by parents, with nearly half of respondents (45%) preferring this career path for their child ahead of university (42%) and going directly into work (23%). More than half of parents surveyed (53%) said they have discussed apprenticeships with their child and nearly a third (32%) would prefer that their child ‘earn while they learn’.  

The survey also found around two thirds (63%) of Scottish parents not only hold positive views of the construction sector but nearly three-quarters (74%) indicated they would be supportive of their child pursuing a career in it.

Dr Jocelyne Fleming, Policy Lead for Scotland at the CIOB said: “Our survey results make it clear parents across Scotland recognise the value of construction careers and apprenticeships, which is hugely encouraging as the industry is in desperate need of new entrants. The challenge is with the widely recognised barriers across the skills and training system that prevent more young people from joining the industry.  

“Without urgent intervention from Scottish Government to address these systemic challenges, skills shortages will persist, more young people will miss out on the well-paid, wide range of roles in our industry, and, ultimately, Scotland will not achieve its housing or climate objectives.”

A CIOB survey of young people in Scotland** found the majority also view the construction sector positively (67%), but nearly half (49%) said construction careers were not covered in the careers advice they received at school, and almost a third (28%) feel construction careers are not accessible to young people.  

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) now estimates 3,590 extra workers will be needed in Scotland each year from 2025-2029 just to meet demand.***

To address the skills system challenges preventing the sector from recruiting the workforce it needs to meet this demand, CIOB has recently called for urgent action from the next Scottish Government in its 2026 Election Manifesto.  

Fleming added: “As Scottish Government has already recognised, critical sectors require government-led skills planning. The commitment to an Offshore Wind Skills Action Plan in the Programme for Government is a clear example. Construction, which underpins delivery across housing, net zero, and infrastructure, requires the same level of strategic focus. Training skilled people takes time and without a coordinated, properly resourced strategy, Scotland’s policy ambitions will remain aspirational rather than achievable.”

In its manifesto, CIOB has called for the next Scottish Government to develop a government-led Construction Skills Action Plan equivalent in ambition and status to that for offshore wind. It says the plan should be based on the current and future needs of the built environment, align policy and funding across the skills and training ecosystem, and, imperatively, address barriers to increasing the uptake and completion of apprenticeships across the sector.