In the face of the continuing skills crisis, Vicki Sanderson, director of repairs and maintenance at L&Q, discusses how the younger generation will be key to closing the gap
What was your first job? Maybe you were a barista mastering the art of the foam heart or a supermarket worker stacking shelves at your local Tesco. Mine? After finishing college, I had a summer job as a motor spares delivery van driver. It wasn’t glamorous, but it gave me a taste of the working world – and over time, I found my way into a career I love.
Yet this essential workforce is shrinking. Across the UK, skilled tradespeople are retiring faster than they’re being replaced. If you’ve tried to book a builder or an electrician recently, you’ll know what I mean. The statistics tell a similar story: over a third of workers are over 50, with many planning to retire within the next decade
The trade skills gap affects everyone
The London Homes Coalition’s Building Skills for the Future report also paints a stark picture. Housing associations alone will need up to 31,000 skilled workers annually over the next five years.2 If nothing changes, we risk falling short – with only 85% of roofers and 78% of surveyors available to meet current needs.3
The skills gap isn’t just an inconvenience for homeowners—it’s a national crisis. Tradespeople do more than fix leaky taps or broken boilers; they are essential to achieving our housing targets and net-zero goals. Without them, our drive to decarbonise homes by 2050 simply won’t happen. That means millions are stuck in old, cold, energy-inefficient homes – expensive to heat and unfit for the future.
The financial consequences are equally worrying. A lack of skilled tradespeople slows progress on essential infrastructure like schools, hospitals and housing, dragging down the economy. The UK already lags behind countries like France, Germany, and the United States in productivity, partly due to underinvestment in skills and infrastructure.
So, why aren’t more people choosing the trades? The problem starts with perception. For too long, society has undervalued skilled trades, pushing the idea that university is the better—or even only—path to success. The pressure to make life-defining choices at such a young age often leads to uncertainty—or defaulting to what’s seen as the “safe” or more prestigious route.
Breaking negative notions of the trades
But this outdated stereotype doesn’t match the reality on the ground. The trades offer benefits many traditional careers cannot: job security in the age of AI, the satisfaction of hands-on work, and the opportunity to earn while you learn without added university debt. For younger generations who increasingly prioritise work-life balance, the trades deliver in spades. From self-employment options to flexible working patterns, it’s a career path built for modern priorities.
It’s no wonder that apprenticeships are gaining traction. They combine practical experience with a steady income, offering the best of both worlds. Repairs and maintenance are growing investment priorities for housing providers, so there’s never been a better time to join the field.
However, closing the skills gap shouldn’t fall solely on young people. In today’s job market, career pivots are more common than ever. Gone are the days of choosing a ‘career for life’ and sticking to it without deviation.
I’m proof of that. My career path hasn’t been linear, but every step has given me the tools I needed to succeed. Retail taught me business acumen, people management and customer understanding. IT sharpened my problem-solving skills, and working in student welfare instilled empathy and communication – essential for leading teams and working with residents.
Eventually, I found my calling in housing. One early role involved running a support service for teenage parents, where I saw the challenges faced by residents in need. Moving into repairs and maintenance was a natural next step. It let me combine my technical aptitude and leadership capabilities with a passion for making a difference to people’s lives.
Tackling stereotypes head on
I’ve faced my fair share of assumptions. At my first housing conference as a Head of Repairs, people assumed I was my boss’ assistant – not the one leading the team. Breaking through stereotypes wasn’t easy, but I learned an invaluable lesson: with determination, you can achieve anything.
Addressing the skills crisis will require collective action. It starts with outreach, from school partnerships to summer jobs, workshops, and apprenticeships that show young people what the trades offer. We also need to change how we talk about the profession. Showcasing the trades as innovative, forward-thinking options—not fallbacks – will attract a more diverse workforce. Breaking down barriers for women and minorities and providing relatable role models will also help build the workforce of the future.
With a projected shortfall of 250,000 tradespeople by 2030, the tools are ready. The question is: who will pick them up?
To school leavers: if you’re looking for a career that’s future-proof, flexible, and fulfilling, consider the trades. To career changers: remember, the trades offer a meaningful and rewarding option – with pathways to management, too. To employers: invest in opportunities for all generations to close the skills gap and build a workforce that keeps our homes, communities, and economy thriving.
