Working In The UK

An Overview of Construction Employment in the UK

The construction market in the UK is showing ongoing signs of strength, with Construction output growing by 5% in 2022.

Many professionals employed in the construction industry across the UK are enjoying rising salaries, improved packages and promotions.

Although the extent and exact details of construction growth and career opportunities vary around different parts of the UK, it is universally the case that it seems like the UK construction industry can't get hold of enough skilled and high calibre people to employ either from the UK or from resourcing construction talent from overseas.

At Maxim Recruitment, the number of building and civil engineering/infrastructure jobs we are filling from our UK office is constantly rising, as is the need to find more Quantity Surveyors to take employment across most parts of the UK.

Take a look at our sections on relocating to the UK:

> Moving To The UK
> Returning To The UK
> Working In London

 

Construction Contracts Awarded by Region

 

Here's a Quick Summary of Where the Skills are in Demand

Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers, Engineers, Planners, Health and Safety and Estimators are all in need across the UK. There are job vacancies on the Maxim Recruitment website relating to these and many other professions.  The main concentration of projects, and therefore vacancies is on London and the South East of England.  

Outside of London, the highest demand can be found in the UK's other major cities. In particular Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Nottingham and Cambridge have been areas in which Maxim have seen large numbers of construction job vacancies.

Salaries will vary between regions within the UK.  The cost of living in London and much of the south east of England is higher than in the Midlands and the north of the country and salary levels usually reflect this.

London Construction

The highest levels of skill shortages are present in Central London and in the South East of England. Huge redevelopment projects are taking place in London. Numerous cranes are a familiar site in the capital, often on the sites of high rise luxury apartment developments.

Huge infrastructure projects such as Thames Tideway and HS2 are underway on site.

We also have international quantity surveying and construction job vacancies available in other countries.  Explore more at Working In Dubai and The Middle East and Working In Hong Kong and Asia.

Newsletter

Get construction industry news relating to the UK, Canada, Asia, the Middle East and other worldwide locations.

Subscribe

Testimonial

“Working with Maxim was an enjoyable experience. We worked well together and were able to successfully find a suitable match for both employer and employee. I would be pleased to use Maxim again if seeking a new role in the future. ”

CANDIDATE TESTIMONIAL | PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT QUANTUM | 2025

Send Us Your CV

Need help finding the ideal job? Want to save time when searching?

Let us find your next job.

Send Us Your CV

Register for Job Alerts

Maxim Insights

Claims & Disputes Professionals | Private Equity or Privately Owned Consultancy?

The construction claims and disputes consultancy market is evolving quickly. While an increasing number of consultancies are now backed by private equity, we are also seeing more independent boutique firms being established by experienced experts and industry professionals. …

Read more »

The Difficulty of Hiring Construction Claims and Disputes Experts in Canada

Hiring construction claims and disputes experts in Canada is becoming increasingly challenging. As construction projects become larger, more complex and more commercially pressured, the demand for experienced claims, cost, damages, project controls and expert witness professionals continues to grow.…

Read more »

Construction Job Search Tips | Stop Doomscrolling

In the context of looking at construction industry job vacancies, if you feel your are doomjobbing you can easily end up feeling disheartened. The good news is that feeling this way can be avoided with a few changes in approach.…

Read more »

Clerk of Works Recruitment | Why Employers Need to Act Early

Employers looking to recruit Clerk of Works candidates in the UK have good reason to feel optimistic. Demand for construction professionals remains strong, and there are excellent candidates available for employers that plan ahead and move decisively.…

Read more »

Construction Project Management Information Systems Roles | What to Consider

Does your next employer have the scale, capital investment, and strategic intent. Are they investing in enterprise-level systems such as Primavera P6, Power BI, Aconex, and other integrated PMIS platforms to offer significantly stronger long-term career prospects?…

Read more »

Industry News

Updated: Defra, Natural England, seek your newt experiences

The great crested newt has found itself at the centre of a political battlefield over how to preserve nature and deliver homes. Now, and until May 29 2026, Defra and Natural England, with the help of LUC and ICF, are looking to talk to developers and construction contractors about their experiences of how the amphibians are protected.

Source: The Construction Index Last updated: 20 May, 03:33

Read more »

Bachy, Kilnbridge partner from the ground up

Bachy Soletanche and Kilnbridge have formed a new partnership, UrbanCore, aiming to bring together their skills in ground engineering and structures.

Source: The Construction Index Last updated: 20 May, 07:44

Read more »

CITB supports 30,000 apprentices

The Construction Industry Training Board has released 2025/25 grant making figures, showing it has provided £120m to support 30,000 apprentices and 10,000 employers.

Source: The Construction Index Last updated: 20 May, 07:30

Read more »

Global's Scotbuild, Calder merge and rebrand

Global's Scotbuild is to merge with Calder Electrical and rebrand as SB Services, aiming to offer a 'a fully integrated multi-trade solution across the commercial, industrial, energy and residential sectors.'

Source: The Construction Index Last updated: 20 May, 07:24

Read more »

Munnelly focus on tech with Weston pick

Munnelly Group has appointed Tom Emery as MD of Weston Analytics, saying the move reinforces its focus on technology, data and innovation.

Source: The Construction Index Last updated: 20 May, 07:12

Read more »