Meeting the Demand: Attracting and Retaining Talent in UK Highways Delivery

The Highways Challenge

The UK’s highways are in the fast lane of development, with increased investment in both national and local networks. The pressure on delivery teams is intense. Strategic programmes like National Highways’ RIS3, local authority upgrades, and vital economic corridors all require a skilled, adaptable workforce. Yet highways talent bottlenecks threaten to derail projects and drive up costs.

Attracting and retaining the right talent has become the industry’s biggest challenge. To meet this demand, infrastructure clients and their supply chains must think smart, embracing new strategies to secure specialist skills and keep projects running smoothly. This is where a forward-thinking recruitment agency can add value, helping clients access a wide range of candidates with expertise in civil engineering and highway infrastructure.

Workforce Bottlenecks: The Growing Challenge

Highways have always faced skills shortages in civil engineering, project management, and site supervision. But now, several factors are creating a perfect storm:

• Competing infrastructure projects in rail, energy, and housing are also vying for the same talent.
• The rush for digital and green skills to power smarter highways and meet net-zero commitments is accelerating.
• The workforce is ageing, and fewer young professionals are entering the field.

Without a course correction, these bottlenecks could delay timelines and increase budgets, testing the patience of both stakeholders and the public.

Flexible Hiring Approaches: Thinking Beyond Traditional Models

So, what’s the smart play? Leading highways clients are adapting their strategies and getting creative with hiring.

Blended Workforce Models

Why stick to one way of working when you can have a mix? Combining permanent staff with contract, temporary hires, and specialist consultancies allows organisations to adapt to project peaks. This approach reduces overhead risk and keeps teams nimble, ensuring highways talent is available when needed.

Regional Talent Hubs

Some forward-thinking organisations are establishing regional talent hubs or partnering with local training providers to develop their own talent pipeline. This ensures skilled highways talent is ready for the long haul, including design engineers and other technical specialists.

Targeted Reskilling and Upskilling

Rather than always hiring externally, many organisations are reskilling existing staff in digital design, data management, and sustainability roles. This strengthens loyalty and improves retention while filling critical skills gaps.

Attracting Specialist Skills Under Tight Timelines

For projects racing against the clock, simply having skills isn’t enough. You need to attract, mobilise, and retain highways talent quickly. Highways clients are succeeding by:

• Involving the supply chain early to map resource needs.
• Streamlining the recruitment process to remove administrative delays.
• Boosting their employer brand to show they are dynamic, supportive workplaces offering competitive salaries.
• Offering flexible work arrangements to attract diverse talent.

Retention: Turning Short-Term Hires Into Long-Term Assets

Keeping highways talent is as important as hiring it. Highways clients focus on:

• Career pathways that show temporary staff the long-term potential.
• Mentoring and training to develop skills and maintain morale.
• Clear communication to build a sense of belonging and purpose.

Conclusion: Adapting to Succeed

The quest to attract and retain highways talent in the UK shows no sign of slowing. For organisations willing to innovate through flexible hiring, strategic partnerships, and investment in people, the path to success is wide open.

The key isn’t just filling positions. It’s about building a resilient, skilled workforce ready to deliver the UK’s highway infrastructure needs. As Sam White, Highways Department Manager, explains:

"It's all about being ahead of the curve. The talent race isn't just about who has the skills today, but who is prepared with the skills for tomorrow."

Explore highways recruitment with a leading recruitment agency to connect with highways talent ready to drive the future, from civil engineering specialists to experienced design engineers, all seeking competitive salaries and opportunities across a wide range of projects.