There is a shortage of qualified workers in 85% of all Czech construction companies. The most acute shortage is of masons, carpenters, electricians, and plumbers.
There are also serious issues with filling more specialized and technical positions. For example, construction managers and designers are almost unavailable to more than half of companies. One of the reasons for this is, among other things, the shortage of graduates from technical schools.
“A key factor is also the low attractiveness of the industry. Young people often perceive construction as a tough and unpromising profession. This view is reinforced by insufficient digitalization, which, despite efforts, still lags behind. Many experienced designers leave due to the complex administrative work and inflexible tools, weakening the sector,” said Anna Kevorkyan, director of JenPrace.cz.
According to an analysis, the labor shortage also directly impacts construction timelines and financial plans for projects. On average, construction projects in 2025 will be delayed by up to three months, and in some cases, the delay may last several years.
Key factors for improvement, according to Kevorkyan, include supporting vocational education, improving collaboration between companies and educational institutions, making working conditions more attractive, and modernizing the entire sector, including active digitalization.
Without these steps, the construction industry may face an even deeper crisis in the future than it is currently experiencing. In a survey conducted among 103 construction companies, 91% stated that the availability of qualified workers is currently poor or insufficient. Over the next five years, construction companies will need 5% more employees on average. By 2030, there will be a shortage of about 74,000 skilled specialists.
According to the association, it is necessary to increase the number of workers in the construction sector by 11,000 people over the next five years. Moreover, it is important for the same number of people to enter the business within this field. In the last quarter of last year, 41,310 people worked in the sector, an increase of 3,695 compared to the previous year.
The association, citing data from the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ), noted that since 2001, the number of students in technical and production construction specialties at universities has decreased by 27%. This means that last year, there were 14,000 fewer students in these fields. In the early 2000s, more than a quarter of all university students were studying technical specialties, whereas last year, their share was just 12%. The decline in the number of students in this segment is due to insufficient support for these specialties from the government, as well as their low prestige and difficulty. The greatest interest in construction was seen 15 years ago, when 64,000 students were enrolled in this field, but in the past three years, this number has decreased to 37,000.
