Closing Scotland’s Skills Gap: Why Industry Collaboration is Key

In addition to the influence on local communities, social impact helps to support national agendas. In this insight piece, Rachael Topping, Learning & Development Advisor at Morgan Sindall Construction discusses the skills gap in construction, and how industry collaboration and social impact via the SCAPE Scotland Construction framework can help provide young people with the skills they need.

It’s well known that Scotland’s construction industry faces a growing skills gap. This isn’t just a challenge for the industry, it’s an issue that will impact the future growth of Scotland’s economy, the delivery of essential infrastructure, and the opportunities available to young people.

As a Learning & Development Advisor at Morgan Sindall Construction, and through our work as a delivery partner on the SCAPE Scotland Construction framework, I’ve witnessed the impact this gap is having across the industry. I also see the opportunities we have to tackle it, by investing in people, rethinking apprenticeships, and working together as an industry.

Engagement with schools and young people is positive, they are curious about careers in construction and motivated to join the sector beyond just the traditional trade routes with advances in technology creating new opportunities. Yet we still face a cycle of young people wanting to enter the industry, without the opportunities being available.

We’re also at risk of losing experience from the existing workforce. Scotland’s ageing workforce means that some of our most skilled craftspeople, the “teachers” of the next generation, are retiring from industry, and with them goes decades of knowledge. Unless we act, the gap may widen.

At Morgan Sindall Construction, we are taking a proactive role in addressing the skills shortage. We currently lead a Scotland-wide skills group representing different trades and sectors across the construction industry. At present, we are the only main contractor involved, but we would welcome other main contractors to join. This forum gives us a collective voice to work with the CITB and key players within industry, reviewing apprenticeships, exploring transferable skills, and seeking solutions for our ageing workforce.

As active members of the Employer Network Steering Group, we’re helping shape the type of training CITB should fund and how to allocate resources where they will have the greatest impact.

We also recognise the crucial role of SMEs and microbusinesses in Scotland, with these companies often employing some of the most experienced craftspeople, particularly within specialist trades such as stonemasonry, craft roofing and conservation, and vitally important for preserving Scotland’s historic architecture. Working with them through responsible procurement, collaboration and early contractor inclusion is essential. If we lose these businesses, we don’t just lose capacity, we lose irreplaceable local skills.

We also cannot address the skills gap without embracing technology. Tools such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) are transforming the way we work, not only in the design and delivery stages, but in the processes of how we collaborate, train and attract new talent. That means we must equip people not only with traditional construction skills but also enhance their talents with the digital knowledge to thrive in future roles.

At our Work Taster events, for example, we’ve seen young people interested in gaming become inspired by careers in Design Management and Digital Construction. This kind of crossover is powerful and shows how we can attract a wider pool of talent, but only if we position construction as an innovative and forward-looking sector.

Apprenticeships are central to tackling the skills shortage, but they need to evolve. Through working with the wider industry and CITB, we are keen to continue supporting pathways such as stonemasonry, tiling, screeding/concrete, and advanced craft roofing, outside of the curriculum offering. Without these, traditional skills that are vital to Scotland’s unique architectural heritage are at risk of being lost.

Our four-year partnership with Tigers Group supported 153 young people through a pre-apprenticeship programme, with more than 90 young people progressing into full General Construction Apprenticeships; employed directly by Morgan Sindall Construction and deployed with the support of our Supply Chain. None of this would have been possible without the 27 supply chain partners who have welcomed these young people into their businesses.

Events such as “SCAPEing Out a World of Work” have been a catalyst for inspiring young people across Scotland. The first collaborative event, in partnership with SCAPE Scotland in October 2023, welcomed over 200 young people aged 16–25. Students reported higher interest in construction careers, greater understanding of roles, and improved teamwork and communication skills, with 97% saying that they’d recommend the event to friends and family - a real testament to the event and the value it offered students.

Building on that success, we subsequently hosted a further two Work Taster events in Stirling and Inverness with over 200 attendees, with a fourth event now planned for March 2026 which will see us host another 270 young people. Sessions have included digital construction, quantity surveying, site life, and hands-on workshops in stonemasonry, bricklaying, plumbing, heating, joinery, scaffolding, roofing, and M&E.

These events do more than showcase roles, they encourage and facilitate passions and make careers feel achievable.

While Morgan Sindall can lead initiatives, we cannot solve this challenge alone. The SCAPE Scotland Construction framework has enabled us to deliver social impact in partnership through early contractor engagement, measurable KPIs, and a shared commitment to collaboration.

SCAPE Scotland’s Community Legacy Programme and the SCAPE Reinvest Fund both demonstrate how industry partners can pool resources and commitments to achieve more together than in isolation. From community gardens to careers events, these initiatives create visible impact in local communities.

But the bigger picture is this: no single organisation can close Scotland’s skills gap. Only by working collectively; industry, government, educators, and communities, will we build the skilled workforce Scotland needs.

The skills gap is a real and pressing challenge, but it is not insurmountable. By inspiring young people, supporting SMEs, embracing technology, and rethinking apprenticeships, we can secure a stronger future.

The answer lies in collaboration. We all have a role to play, and if we act together, we can not only close the skills gap, but also create a more resilient, diverse, and future-ready industry for Scotland.