Spain | The need to attract talent in construction

Labor shortage is one of the factors limiting housing production. The available information indicates that workers employed in construction age faster than average and have less education. Attracting talent is essential to ensure generational replacement.

Key points

• Key points:
• The average age of employees in construction has risen from 37.3 in 2007 to 45.1 in 2022, almost 8 years, compared to the rest of the economy, where average age has risen by just over 4 years.
• The sector includes occupations such as plumbers, whose average age is 44 (almost 10 years older than in 2007), and bricklayers, whose average age is close to 50 (8 years older than in 2007).
• These are advanced ages for this type of work, which is highly physical, leading to a decrease in productivity and a deterioration in health. This means a generational change will be necessary sooner rather than later.
• The analysis of the education level of these employees is not very encouraging either, showing a level well below the national and international average. More than 60% of those employed in construction in 2022 had no vocational or higher education, compared with an average of 40% in other sectors.
• In Spain, there are fewer than 2.5 centers for every 10,000 people employed in construction that provide training directly related to this activity. This sector, which accounts for 5% of the economy's GVA, only accounts for 0.9% of students enrolled in a basic or higher degree program and 0.4% in vocational training.

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