ECITB Census reveals industry hiring challenges in the West Midlands

The ECI plays a crucial role in the UK meeting its net zero ambitions, spanning sectors that focus on the construction, maintenance and decommissioning of heavy industry, including oil and gas, nuclear, power generation, renewables, chemicals, food and drink, pharmaceuticals and water treatment.

The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board’s (ECITB) Regional Workforce Census report offers a comprehensive overview of the ECI workforce in the West Midlands, having gathered data on more than 2,000 workers in the area.

It reveals that 63% of employers in the region are experiencing challenges in hiring workers, up from 53% across the industry in 2021.

Electrical and mechanical engineers, design engineers, fabricators, welders and pipefitters are among the roles that are proving most difficult to recruit.

The main reasons given by employers are issues around a lack of qualifications, skills and training, along with competition from other companies and limited resources to offer competitive salaries and working conditions.

ECITB Chief Executive Andrew Hockey said: “The Census is vital in helping industry understand labour market dynamics, anticipate workforce challenges and develop strategies to address skill gaps across Great Britain, such as in the West Midlands.

“Only through bringing in new talent, training and upskilling existing workers can industry benefit from the skilled workforce it needs both for now and the future.

“The ECITB will continue to support employers in the region to invest in their talent pipeline – helping industry to grow the number of apprenticeships and graduate opportunities, developing alternative entry pathways and funding quality training to upskill and reskill the workforce.”

Other key findings on the West Midlands from the Census

• The ECI workforce in the West Midlands is predominantly office-based (92%).
• The workforce is spread across several sectors, with 20% of the local workforce operating within renewables – energy from waste being the largest subsector.
• Other significant employers include the nuclear (18%), food and drink (11%), water and waste (10%) and pharmaceuticals (8%) sectors.
• The hydrogen and carbon capture sectors represent a higher workforce share in the West Midlands than across the wider ECI, reflecting early-stage investments in these technologies.
• Birmingham is the main workforce hub, with Burton-on-Trent a secondary hotspot.
• Employers estimate a 25% increase in headcount by 2027, ranking the region the most optimistic among all regions in Great Britain.
• The local workforce has a relatively high share of workers under 30 (26.2%), compared to 17% across the wider industry.
• Only 27.4% of the regional ECI workforce is over 50, lower than both the overall ECI (37.4%) and the local active population (32.4%).
• Women constitute 25% of the workforce, compared to 17% in the ECI overall.

Helping predict future trends

The ECITB conducts a census every three years, with in-scope employers providing information on workforce numbers by occupation, sector and location, as well as demographics data on age, gender, ethnicity and nationality.

Employers primarily involved in engineering construction are considered ‘in-scope’ of the ECITB’s remit, with those exceeding a certain size legally required to contribute to an industrial training levy.

In summer 2024, employers were asked to fill out an online survey which included questions on expected workforce growth, business opportunities by sector and hiring challenges.

Andrew added: “Thanks to a record response rate, up from 54% of the workforce covered in 2021 to 78.8%, the ECITB will now be able to provide more precise, up-to-date data to industry and make predictions on future workforce trends and labour demands in the West Midlands.

“The Census data will help inform training interventions and ensure accurate representation of industry in our discussions with governments and other partners.”

Find out more about the ECITB Workforce Census at: www.ecitb.org.uk/research/census/