The UK's university-first culture has worsened construction skills shortages so industry must champion apprenticeships and vocational careers, says Mark London, senior partner and head of construction at law firm Devonshires. It was an entirely noble aim, and both university attendance and the number of degree courses offered increased substantially. Fast forward to 2026 and we have a very real skills shortage in the construction sector. We particularly need to work hard to eliminate the bias against physical work in preference for sitting behind a desk. So, let’s do all that we can to make the industry as attractive as we can for young people.