The Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) sector is facing a significant skills shortage, the impact of which is becoming increasingly hard to.
The challenge
As highlighted in our 2025 report, MEP Contractor Roundtable: What Lies Ahead?, the shortage spans multiple roles, from skilled trades on site to specialist MEP engineers, project managers and cost managers.
Unless we can attract new entrants into the industry, and into the MEP sector specifically, this challenge will become more acute in the coming years. A limited supply of skilled labour will struggle to keep pace with future demand, inhibiting the performance and growth of both the construction and MEP sectors.
Closing the gap
With National Apprenticeship Week (9-15 February) approaching, now is the time to focus on practical, collective solutions.
While apprenticeship schemes are gaining popularity across a range of MEP disciplines and roles, they alone are not sufficient to address the skills gap. What is needed is a coordinated, long‑term approach across industry, education, and government.
Insights shared by our industry partners and colleagues who joined us at our MEP Contractor Roundtable event last year coalesced around several key themes:
- Driving awareness in schools and colleges of construction and MEP‑specific roles, highlighting strong earning potential and long‑term career progression.
- Enhancing the image of a career in construction, emphasising the opportunity to deliver legacy‑defining projects and contribute to a more sustainable future, particularly within a dynamic MEP sector that is increasingly technology‑driven.
- Attracting a broader and more diverse demographic, breaking down historic barriers and encouraging under‑represented groups to consider careers in construction and MEP.
- Strengthening collaboration between government, industry, and education, ensuring the right curriculum and quality of training are in place. Recent statistics from the Construction Leadership Council suggest there is an acute shortage of lecturers across the UK, an issue that requires urgent attention.
- Greater investment in skills, training, research and innovation, areas where construction has historically lagged behind other industries due to high risk, low profitability, and an adversarial culture. While there are signs of improvement, the industry must find a way to fully unlock this potential and protect it over the long term.
Our apprenticeship commitment
Our 80-strong national MEP Cost Management team has recruited over 10 apprentices in the past five years, and we are committed to increasing our intake as we continue to grow.
Our graduates and apprentices represent the future of the industry, and benefit from being embedded within a large, experienced MEP cost management team. We are proud of the contribution they already make to our projects and teams.
As Eldrick Kanyanga, who joined us in 2025 as a first-year MEP Cost Management apprentice in London, says:
Back in Sixth Form, I never imagined I would be assisting on iconic projects so early in my career. Since starting my apprenticeship in the Engineering Services team, the range of experience I have gained has been incredible, and I am excited to see how much more I will achieve by the end of it.
Echoing this sentiment, Ceiron Ellis, a final-year MEP Cost Management apprentice based in Bristol, recently shared his experience of the Turner & Townsend apprenticeship programme and highlighted available opportunities across our UK locations.
Continue the discussion
As we approach National Apprenticeship Week, we would welcome the views of industry peers and colleagues on the practical steps we can take together to build a talent pipeline fit for the future.
What do you think would have the greatest impact in closing the skills gap?
