Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week, the UK’s biggest housebuilder, Barratt Redrow, has announced 207 new apprenticeship vacancies across its business.
The new roles have been created by the housebuilder following a sharp increase in the popularity of apprenticeship and trade careers – with 47% of teens saying that despite their parents going to university, they are choosing apprenticeships instead.
Research of 2,000 UK teens and Gen Zs aged 13-28 commissioned by the housebuilder also revealed only a fifth of teens (22%) are interested in pursuing an office-based role, with almost half (48%) saying that earning a living from a skilled trade is now more aspirational.
As the industry faces a growing skills gap alongside increasing demand to build, investing in the next generation through skilled apprenticeships that lead to long-term careers, is not just good for construction, but essential for the future of UK housebuilding
David Thomas, CEO of Barratt Redrow
It is the ninth year the housebuilder has surveyed young people on their career ambitions and aspirations, with 2026 being the most popular year for apprenticeship careers to date.
The research has shown a huge shift in career ambitions – only three years ago, 68% of 16-24 year olds said there was a stigma with being an apprentice over pursuing higher education.
This generational shift away from office-based management careers, has seen teenagers prioritising careers that offer skills, autonomy, tangible outcomes and a faster route to financial stability. The research uncovered the top career priorities for teens were good pay (50%), work-life balance (37%), feeling proud of what they do (33%) and job security (27%). By contrast, status or job title ranks low, selected by just 8%.
Housing affordability is a major concern for teens today. Nearly two-thirds of teenagers (65%) say being able to afford a home matters more than having a high-status job title, while 28% say earning enough to buy a home is one of their biggest worries about the future. More widely, almost half of teens (48%) say concerns about AI and automation have made office-based jobs less appealing.
This may be one of the reasons why apprenticeships are increasingly seen as a practical alternative to university and increasing in popularity year-on-year. More than half of teens (52%) say they are likely to choose an apprenticeship, driven by the opportunity to gain hands-on experience (46%), earn money from day one (43%), avoid student debt (34%) and access more job opportunities (28%). Almost two-thirds (64%) say apprenticeships are viewed more positively today than 10 years ago, nearly seven in ten (69%) believe learning a trade can provide long-term financial security.
David Thomas, CEO of Barratt Redrow, commented: “Young people joining our workforce want practical skills, financial security and careers where they can see the impact of their work. Construction is well placed to offer all of that, with a wide range of roles, great pay and job security, whether through apprenticeships, graduate programmes or professional careers. As the industry faces a growing skills gap alongside increasing demand to build, investing in the next generation through skilled apprenticeships that lead to long-term careers, is not just good for construction, but essential for the future of UK housebuilding.”
Jessica Richardson is a 20 year old Bricklaying Apprentice from Lincolnshire. Originally from Hertfordshire, Jessica moved to Lincolnshire a year ago and is now building her career on site.
Commenting on her career choice, Jessica said: “I decided to choose an apprenticeship because when I finished school, I realised university wouldn’t be for me as I didn’t want the debts that come with it. When the opportunity came up with Barratt Redrow I grabbed it with both hands; I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do and I was lucky enough to be chosen. I like the idea of being able to build a house or a wall and then look back and see what I’ve achieved. Every day is different, I get to do the labouring, I get to do the wall ties, I’m earning whilst I’m learning and it’s also on site, so I’m getting experience there.”
To apply for a Barratt Redrow apprenticeship or find out more about the vacancies, visit www.barrattcareers.co.uk.
For more articles like this, visit our People & Skills channel
