Unlocking Hidden Talent in Construction

The construction industry presents a significant opportunity for skilled workers, with demand continuing to grow. Our Construction Workforce Outlook shows that we need over 47,000 additional workers across the UK annually to meet demand. Now, we must look at how we can unlock the hidden talent we already have to build a more resilient, productive workforce. 

Construction attracts a far higher proportion of neurodivergent people than the national average. Around 1 in 4 people in construction identify as neurodiverse, compared with 1 in 7 nationally. This is because construction values practical skills, handson work, pattern recognition, creativity, and problemsolving, which often align well with neurodivergent strengths.  

We need to reframe how we view neurodiversity. Through empathy, better conversations, flexible approaches and inclusive leadership, construction can unlock hidden talent, improve wellbeing and mental health and strengthen performance.   

It’s not ‘one-size-fits-all’ 

Over my career, I’ve spent a lot of time asking why some people thrive at school, while others leave believing they’ve failed. Nowhere is that more visible than in the construction industry. 

Many neurodivergent people don’t do well at school, not because they lack intelligence or potential, but because the system is not designed around how they think. Too often they are labelled as underachievers early on, and that label sticks. By the time they reach adulthood, they believe opportunities are closed to them. This is the danger when it comes to forcing people into boxes and we find that, actually, systems often create failure, not people. 

People thrive when they are employed for what they are good at and tasks are allocated based on strengths – which is how typical construction sites operate already. I’ve seen how people can completely transform when they are placed in the right role, under the right leadership. I’ve watched people go from struggling, anxious and disengaged to confident and high‑performing – not because they changed, but because the environment did. 

Supporting a diverse workforce with broader routes to competence  

Leading a diverse workforce has taught me that context matters as much as decisions. People don’t just need to know what decision has been made, but they need to understand why. That matters for everyone, but especially for people who process change differently. 

Clear communication, empathy and genuine curiosity about how people work best are leadership fundamentals. They are just as important in classrooms and training centres as they are on sites or in boardrooms. 

One of my strongest beliefs is that systems are very good at creating failure if we let them. In education, that often shows up through rigid assessment methods. 

I’ve seen apprentices who excel at hands‑on work and logical problem‑solving yet are blocked from progressing because they struggle with English assessments that bear little resemblance to the job they perform every day. In those moments, we are not measuring competence, we are reinforcing a narrow definition of success. 

We need broader routes to competence – this includes coursework, practical assessments, on‑site demonstrations and alternative ways for learners to show what they can do. Further education has a critical role to play here, but we need to encourage collaboration across the industry to make this the norm.  

Small changes, big impact 

Supporting neurodiverse learners and workers does not require sweeping reform or expensive interventions. In fact, most adjustments cost nothing. 

Simple changes, such as flexible start times, clearer instructions, advance notice of change, and better communication about expectations, can remove huge amounts of stress. Often, once the stress factor is removed, people are able to perform better in their jobs. 

From my experience, when people are stressed or anxious, it’s often presented as ‘bad behaviour’. Once leaders understand what is driving the behavioural changes, the conversation, and the outcome, changes completely. 

Organisations that understand and support neurodivergent employees tend to see better retention, improved productivity, stronger performance and better project outcomes. 

Why this matters for skills 

At a time when construction faces significant skills shortages, we cannot afford to lose talent because our systems are too rigid or our expectations too narrow. 

Neurodiversity is not a problem to fix. It is a reality to understand and a strength to harness. 

If further education, employers and industry bodies work together to design pathways that value different ways of thinking, we don’t just support neurodivergent learners – we build a stronger, more resilient workforce, and unlock the hidden talent that we have available.  

By Tim Balcon, CEO, CITB