Construction UK

Construction & Infrastructure

Civil engineers, site managers, architects and quantity surveyors — the UK's housing shortage and infrastructure pipeline are creating thousands of jobs every year.

+18%
Construction sector growth
30,000+
Active construction firms in UK
£110bn
Annual output value
2.4M
Direct construction jobs
Overview

Building Britain: infrastructure investment at a record high

The UK construction sector is one of the largest in Europe. Government commitments to build 300,000 homes per year, major rail projects (HS2, East West Rail, Northern Powerhouse Rail), Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, and smart motorway programmes are sustaining enormous demand for skilled construction professionals.

This boom benefits the entire supply chain: engineering consultancies, housebuilders, contractors, surveyors and specialist subcontractors. Qualified civil engineers, structural engineers, quantity surveyors and project managers remain among the most in-demand and well-paid professionals in the UK.

Civil Engineering Architecture Property & Real Estate Public Works
UK construction site

Most sought-after roles

High-demand profiles on major UK construction and infrastructure projects

Civil / Structural Engineer

Design, analysis and supervision of bridges, roads, buildings and utility infrastructure.

£35k – £80k See jobs

Architect (ARB Registered)

Architectural design, planning applications, site supervision and coordination across all stages.

£32k – £70k See jobs

Site Manager / Construction Manager

Planning, team coordination and quality control on residential and commercial construction sites.

£40k – £65k See jobs

Quantity Surveyor (QS)

Cost planning, procurement, contract management and final accounts for construction projects.

£38k – £70k See jobs

Site Foreman / Supervisor

Managing tradespeople, monitoring programme, enforcing health and safety standards on site.

£32k – £50k See jobs

Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) Manager

Site safety compliance, CDM regulations, risk assessments and environmental impact management.

£40k – £65k See jobs

Key recruiters

1
Balfour Beatty
2
Laing O'Rourke
3
Vinci / Bouygues UK
4
Mace Group
5
Persimmon / Taylor Wimpey / Barratt
6
National Highways / HS2 Ltd
7
Arup / AECOM / Jacobs
8
Network Rail / Transport for London

Skills & qualifications valued

Construction firms seek these profiles and certifications as a priority.

AutoCAD / Revit BIM (Building Information Modelling) MS Project / Primavera UK Building Regulations CDM Regulations Reinforced Concrete / Structural Steel CSCS Card / SMSTS Geotechnics GIS / Surveying Subcontractor Management Public Procurement / Tendering Environmental Standards

Recommended qualifications

  • BEng / MEng Civil Engineering (ICE)
  • MRICS — Chartered Quantity Surveyor
  • BIM Manager Certification
  • NEBOSH National Certificate

The sector in pictures

UK building site
Engineer on site
Construction workers

Build your construction career in the UK

Hundreds of UK construction companies are hiring via TheDreamJob. Find your next project today.

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