The skills crisis isn’t creeping up on us. It’s already here.
Right now, there are more than 140,000 unfilled vacancies in the trades, including carpentry and joinery. By 2027, construction will need 225,000 additional workers, and by 2028, that figure will rise to 251,500.
At the same time, the sector lost 14% of its UK-born workforce between 2019 and 2023, while three-quarters of EU workers left, most in their prime working years. To make matters worse, over a third of those still in the industry are already over 50 and moving closer to retirement.
This isn’t a slow leak in the system. It’s a burst pipe.
Leave it, and the floorboards rot.
Leave it longer, and the joists fail.
Leave it longer and the whole thing collapses irreparably.
That is where we are: a sodden structure with weakened integrity.
Now we rebuild, brick by brick, and make it fit to stand for generations.
What does tradition in joinery really mean?
Tradition is often misunderstood. It isn’t about chiselling by candlelight or sticking to Georgian tools. Nor is it about blindly copying specifications from two hundred years ago or allowing dangerous levels of dust in the air because “that’s how it’s always been done”.
Tradition is about deep understanding: knowing how to use tools, materials, and techniques, but also when and why. It is about adapting processes for modern performance. It is about respecting proportion and accuracy, and it is about creating work that lasts and does its job properly.
Tradition is a deep understanding:
- Knowing which tools, materials, and techniques to use, and when.
- Adapting processes and designs for modern needs and performance.
- Respecting proportion and accuracy, and making it just so.
- Creating work that is durable and fit for purpose.
Tradition evolves. Machines, coatings, and glazing technology can all enhance what we do, but people remain the quality control. Without them, tradition disappears, and when it disappears, so does the knowledge needed to safeguard our heritage.
Why are traditional joinery skills disappearing?
The first driver was cost. Cheaper labour abroad meant higher profits at home, so production shifted overseas. Imports of parts and components into the UK have more than doubled since the mid-1990s, and the skills went with them. Two-thirds of firms admitted lower wages were the main reason for outsourcing.
Training followed the same pattern. It costs money. It takes supervision. It means college days, paperwork, and patience. When margins are tight, many firms hire someone already trained rather than grow talent themselves. Employer spending on training is down nearly 30% per employee since 2011. Meanwhile, £4.4 billion of levy money has gone back to the Treasury unused.
Schools narrowed the pipeline further. Vocational courses were stripped from league tables in 2013, and many schools dropped them. Connexions, the national careers service, was scrapped in 2012 and careers advice fell to already overstretched teachers with little specialist knowledge. The outcome is stark: 36% of pupils reported no career-related activity, and only 30% of Year 13s had school-arranged work experience.
And in a political climate increasingly sceptical of immigration, we cannot assume skills will be imported. We need to develop them here.
Why do so many apprenticeships fail?
On paper, the Bench Joiner apprenticeship looks strong. It covers tools, drawings, materials, tolerances, health and safety, and machine use. But paper is not the real world.
Too many apprentices are treated as cheap labour: given menial tasks, left without guidance, and seen as an inconvenience when they take their college day. Unsurprisingly, little more than half of construction apprentices actually complete their training.
Roy, now a supervisor, remembers his first apprenticeship clearly:
“Back in the day I just felt like it was part of the job… you’re the lowest of the low so you just take what everyone gives you who is above you. But now I know that’s not true.”
Cody, another of our apprentices, added:
“I hate it when people say, ‘Oh, you’re going to be cleaning the toilets as an apprentice.’”
And the culture hits some harder than others. Around 15.6% of apprenticeship starts are by learners with learning difficulties or disabilities. That’s only diagnosed cases — with multi-year waiting lists for ADHD and dyslexia assessments, the real figure is higher. Many who thrive in practical work are also more likely to be neurodiverse. Without proper support, it is no surprise that so many withdraw before they ever get the chance to succeed.
Are policy changes improving the system?
From 2025, apprenticeships can last as little as eight months. Less time means less depth of knowledge. The result is obvious: more workers who can do the basics, but fewer with the problem-solving skills and mastery to adapt or innovate.
Funding is also being diverted away from higher-level apprenticeships. The message is clear: university is for the “clever” children, while trades are the fallback. Add to that the rule that apprentices over 19 must be paid the full minimum wage for their age after year one, and employers start asking whether they can afford to take anyone on.
Even here, those debates have happened. Finance and production both raised the cost. We carried on because training is part of who we are, but many businesses cannot. A system that makes training financially unviable will never deliver the skilled workforce the country needs.
Why do many apprentices arrive late?
It’s rarely the first choice.
Alfie tried plumbing and catering before finding joinery. Roy left the trade after a toxic apprenticeship and only returned years later. Lilli worked at McDonald’s before joining us for an administrative apprenticeship, where her ability stood out so strongly that she became Partnerships Manager before even completing her training. She later won BWF Apprentice of the Year.
It isn’t a lack of ability. It’s a lack of direction. By the time many start apprenticeships, they’re older, cost more to employ, and are less likely to have their training fully funded. Imagine the difference if they came straight from school:
- Skills gained sooner
- Businesses supported by full funding
- More financial viability because minimum wage rises kick in later
What does good training look like?
Phil Yarde, tutor at West Notts College, sees the difference employer culture makes:
“Apprenticeships are vital for securing the future of traditional skills like joinery, and businesses such as Gowercroft are leading the way. By training apprentices, they not only strengthen their own workforce but also safeguard high-quality craftsmanship for the future. What sets Gowercroft apart is the outstanding support given to apprentices. They are mentored by skilled craftspeople, given real responsibility, and encouraged to grow both technically and personally.”
Roy now mentors apprentices himself, with more than technical skills in mind. Drawing on his own bad experiences, he works to create a culture of support:
“It’s not just about teaching joinery. It’s about making sure apprentices grow as people. If they’re nervous or anxious, they need to know they can come to me. I adapt how I support them, because not everyone learns the same way. My job is to make sure they never feel the way I once did.”
That approach makes a difference. Alfie told us:
“When I first used a belt sander, I just left it running on top of a sash and burnt a hole. They laughed, but then they showed me how to do it properly. Here, I’ve had real support: answers to my questions, the chance to try things, and the experience you can’t get in a classroom.”
Cody said:
“I was timid when I started, but I found myself opening up to colleagues. They encouraged me to try things, and now I can use almost every machine. I’ve learned more than I could ever ask for.”
That is what apprenticeships should be: real learning, with patience, skill, and encouragement.
What must change for apprenticeships to thrive?
Apprenticeships cannot remain a Plan B. Starts for young people are falling, while starts for older learners are rising. The pipeline is narrowing, and unless it changes, it will close altogether.
The future must look different:
- Schools must present trades as smart first choices, and employers should work with them to prove it.
- Government must make apprenticeships affordable for employers.
- Businesses need training to support apprentices properly, especially around accessibility and learning differences.
- Wages for skilled trades must reflect their true value, with funding to subsidise wage costs as well as training.
- And as a country, we must stop pretending rote memorisation is “clever” while creativity and problem-solving and hands-on skills are somehow second-class.
At Gowercroft Joinery, we already know the answer lies in people. We are proud members of the 5% Club, yet we far exceed that benchmark with over 15% of our workforce in training. Apprentices here have won awards, progressed into senior roles, and built lifelong careers. And our promote from within ethos means we keep our homegrown talent.
That is not charity. For us, it is common sense. It is how we are future-proofing our business, keeping tradition alive, and ensuring the craft that built our heritage can protect its future.