Skills and labour shortages have become a major challenge for the construction industry in the European Union. In Sweden, where 10,000 workers retire from the industry each year, 50% of construction companies report difficulty finding skilled workers and six in ten have declined business due to shortages, according to the Swedish Construction Federation (Byggföretagen). 

Attracting more women to construction is not only a matter of equality: it is essential for ensuring the sector’s future. 

This was one of the central messages from the CoP 7 European Synergies webinar, organised by BUSUnited on 16 September, as part of the European Skills & VET Week.