UK trades skill gap widens, with three-quarters of van drivers saying there’s a skill shortage in their industry

• 75% of UK tradespeople believe that there is a shortage of skilled workers entering their industry
• With a quarter (24%) saying their company is understaffed, tradespeople are under pressure to meet demand and upskill new hires
• As new government apprenticeship reforms come into effect on 1 April, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles survey shines a spotlight on the experience of UK tradespeople

Milton Keynes, UK, 31 March 2026 – With UK apprenticeship reforms coming into effect on 1 April – including fully-funded apprenticeships for SMEs – Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles shines a light on the experience of UK tradespeople grappling with an unprecedented skills shortage.

A survey conducted by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles reveals that three in four UK tradespeople (75%) believe that there is a shortage of skilled workers entering their industry.¹

The trades worst impacted by the shortage are bricklayers (87%), plumbers (85%), and electricians (79%)¹ .

As a result, over half (53%) of survey respondents said they have had to turn down jobs at least once a month¹, an increase from 45% the previous year.² The leading reason for turning down jobs – reported by half (50%) of van drivers – is simply not having enough time to take on more work.¹

A shortage of skilled tradespeople entering the workforce creates challenges for businesses and puts workers under increasing pressure to meet demand for their skills. Almost a third (31%) stated the shortage of skilled personnel as one of the biggest pressures facing their business in 2026, and 24% said they are understaffed.¹

Industry forecasts from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) indicate the UK will need over 225,000 additional tradespeople by 2027 just to meet existing demand.³ It is therefore essential that more young people are trained into skilled trades roles, both to ease pressure on the current workforce and to safeguard for the future. More than a third of survey respondents (37%) said that the skills shortage was one of the biggest barriers to growing their business in the next year.¹

But training and accreditation are expensive for individuals; two in five (41%) tradespeople have personally spent over £1,000 in the last year on maintaining their training and accreditation.

Tomorrow, new Government reforms come into effect, including fully-funded apprenticeship training for SMEs to make schemes more accessible for all businesses. This is expected to open up tens of thousands of new opportunities for under-25s entering trades, according to Government estimations.⁴

Richard Welch, Technical Training & Development Manager at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “Continued investment in trades is essential to support people entering the industries, at a time when workers are facing increased pressures and demand for their skills. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ own apprenticeship scheme offers tailored programmes to help candidates access training and develop their skills; we’d urge young people to consider an apprenticeship as a great launchpad into a whole range of rewarding careers.”

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is proud to be the partner of choice for a wide range of trades, with vans built for comfort and reliability as workers navigate current challenges. For more information regarding Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ award-winning range of products and services, please visit: www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

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Notes to editors
¹Results are taken from a OnePoll survey of 1,000 UK van drivers, conducted in December 2025, covering the 2025 calendar year, commissioned by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
²Results are taken from a OnePoll survey of 1,000 UK van drivers, conducted in December 2024, covering the 2024 calendar year, commissioned by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
³Research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) available here: https://newsbywire.com/new-uk-data-reveals-britain-is-running-out-of-tradespeople/
⁴Government data on new apprenticeship offering available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/50000-more-young-people-to-benefit-from-apprenticeships-as-government-unveils-new-skills-reforms-to-get-britain-working

About Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles:
Over 75 years ago, the first Transporter arrived in the UK, creating a blueprint which others would follow: a van which gets the job done efficiently and reliably. Today, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles offers a diverse model range of commercial as well as passenger carrying and lifestyle models – from the compact Caddy, the evergreen Transporter and sturdy Crafter panel vans, dropsides and tippers, through the Multivan passenger carrier, and Caddy California, new California and Grand California campervans, to the ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo all-electric models, and the Amarok. The vehicles are as versatile and dependable as Volkswagens have always been, but the range is now wider, and more connected, modern and safer than ever. 
 
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is committed to working in partnership with individuals and businesses, providing them with the best products and aftersales support, whether they’re buying one or a thousand vans. For more information visit www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

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