Cian BrennanFounder, Quantum Contract Solutions · Founder

Young people don't want to be in construction anymore.

Name: Young people don't want to be in construction anymore.
Uploaded: 2026-04-03T04:00:29+00:00
Duration: 23 s
Channel: Cian Brennan
Description: In this brief commentary, the speaker observes that the average age of construction workers has risen dramatically over the past few decades—from the 30s…

3 Apr 2026 · 0 min

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In this brief commentary, the speaker observes that the average age of construction workers has risen dramatically over the past few decades—from the 30s twenty or thirty years ago to the 40s today, with some reports indicating averages over 50. He attributes this shift to a declining interest among young people in entering the construction trade, questioning whether the cause is a reluctance to perform hard labor, insufficient pay, better opportunities elsewhere, or broader societal changes. He also notes that subcontracting businesses are becoming increasingly rare, and predicts that wages in construction will rise as a result of the labor shortage.

20 or 30 years ago, the average age in construction was in the 30s. Today it's the 40s, and some reports say it's over 50. So what's happening? Young people don't want to be in construction. Is it that they just don't want to work hard? Is it that they're not getting paid enough? Is it that they can make money elsewhere? I don't really know at the moment. Is the whole society changing? But I know this: if you have a subcontracting business, they're getting rarer and rarer. People are going to make more money in construction because no one wants to do it.