Wednesday 11th February 2026│ BECKY RUSSELL
The UK is facing a skills shortage — and not just in construction, engineering, or infrastructure. The real shortage is one that is widely discussed but poorly addressed: the exclusion of women from industries that urgently need people.
While employers search harder, recruit wider, and compete for the same shrinking talent pool, a critical solution remains underused. Women are not a future fix. Women are a critical part of the solution.
The Practical Ability Crisis Isn’t Coming — It’s Already Here
Across multiple sectors, particularly construction and skilled trades, the workforce is aging faster than it’s being replaced. Around 35% of the UK construction workforce is now aged over 50, and it is estimated that more than one-third of the current workforce — approximately 750,000 workers — will retire over the next decade, creating a significant capability gap across the industry (Method Grid, UK Construction at the Crossroads). Projects are delayed, productivity is strained, and experience is leaving the industry without enough trained people to step in.
The usual response focuses on attracting young people, speeding up training, or importing talent. All important — but incomplete — because none of these strategies fully address the largest untapped resource available: women who are willing, capable, and underrepresented.
The Capabilities the Future of Work Requires
Technical skills such as AI, data analysis and automation are undeniably important and at the same time, there is growing demand for capabilities that are difficult to automate, including:
- Critical thinking
- Emotional intelligence
- Collaboration
- Adaptability
- Ethical leadership
These competencies are sometimes referred to as “soft competencies,” though research increasingly recognises them as essential leadership capabilities.
Women often develop these competencies through navigating complex organisational environments and managing multiple responsibilities, which can foster strong communication, problem-solving and leadership abilities.
The Problem Isn’t Ability — It’s Access
Women are often excluded from certain industries because of limited access to training, not because they lack capability. When women are given access to fair recruitment, practical development, and supportive environments, the results are clear:
- Performance
- Retention
- Capability diversity
- Commitment
This isn’t theoretical. Women already succeed across technical, operational, and leadership roles just not in the numbers the industry needs.
Why Women Strengthen the Workforce
The modern workforce relies less on brute strength and more on:
- Technical capability
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Precision
- Collaboration
These are not gendered abilities — but diverse teams consistently deliver superior outcomes. Research shows that inclusive workplaces are safer, more innovative, and better at managing risk.
When women are part of the workforce, organisations don’t just fill vacancies; they raise standards in modern industries.
The Cost of Leaving Women Out
Failing to attract women doesn’t just limit equality — it limits growth.
Every role left unfilled, every skill gap left unresolved and every perspective excluded weakens an industry already under pressure. Continuing to recruit from the same narrow pool while expecting different results is no longer sustainable.
In a competitive economy, exclusion is expensive.
What Needs to Change — Simply and Practically
Solving this labour shortage doesn’t require radical overhauls. It requires intention:
- Recruitment practices
- Female role models
- Working environments
- Training and progression pathways
When industries remove unnecessary barriers, women don’t need convincing — they apply, they stay, and they succeed.
Conclusion: The Answer Has Been Here All Along
The skills shortage no one talks about isn’t a lack of talent. It’s a lack of inclusion.
Women are not a backup plan or a diversity target. They are skilled professionals who can stabilise, modernise, and future-proof entire industries.
DIY Her Way exists to give women the access and practical training the industry needs now.
Ignoring this is no longer defensible.
References :
Construction Industry Training Board. (2023). Construction skills network: Labour market intelligence report 2023–2027. CITB.
https://www.citb.co.uk/insights-and-research/construction-skills-network/
Office for National Statistics. (2023). EMP13: Employment by industry. ONS.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes
Office for National Statistics. (2023). Gender pay gap in the UK. ONS.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours
Chartered Institute of Building. (2022). Diversity and inclusion in construction. CIOB.
https://www.ciob.org/industry/policy-research/diversity-and-inclusion
McKinsey & Company. (2020). Diversity wins: How inclusion matters.
https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters
Engineering UK. (2023). Engineering UK 2023: The state of engineering.
https://www.engineeringuk.com/research/engineering-uk-report/
Method Grid (2023). UK Construction at the Crossroads. Available at: https://www.methodgrid.com