Thousands of new employment opportunities are set to be created across Britain as infrastructure group Balfour Beatty prepares to expand its UK workforce by around 2,000 people over the next two years.
The company plans to increase its UK workforce from approximately 14,000 to 16,000 by the end of 2027, with around half of the additional positions expected to be filled through apprenticeships, graduate programmes, internships and trainee roles.
For workers, particularly younger people seeking a route into engineering, construction and infrastructure, the scale of the recruitment programme represents an encouraging development at a time when the wider UK employment market remains challenging.
Balfour Beatty’s UK workforce has already increased considerably, from around 12,200 employees at the end of 2023 to approximately 14,000 at the end of 2025. If its latest plans are delivered, UK employee numbers will have grown by more than 30% in four years.
The announcement also follows another substantial skilled-employment expansion recently covered by The Workers Union, with Airbus preparing to create nearly 900 jobs at its Broughton operation in North Wales.
Taken together, the announcements provide further evidence that parts of Britain’s engineering, manufacturing and infrastructure economy continue to generate employment opportunities despite a difficult national recruitment environment.
Around 1,000 opportunities for apprentices, graduates and trainees
One of the most significant aspects of Balfour Beatty’s expansion is the emphasis being placed on people at the beginning of their careers.
Approximately 1,000 of the 2,000 additional positions are expected to be recruited through early-career routes, including apprenticeships, graduate programmes, internships and trainee positions.
Apprentices, graduates, interns and trainees currently account for around 9% of the company’s UK workforce. Balfour Beatty expects that proportion to reach approximately 12.7% by the end of 2027.
This matters because Britain’s infrastructure ambitions require more than investment in roads, railways, electricity networks and buildings. They also require workers with the skills necessary to construct, maintain and improve them.
Balfour Beatty currently offers apprenticeships in areas including civil and mechanical engineering, construction management, digital engineering, electrical work, highways maintenance, plant maintenance, quantity surveying, IT, data and software support, planning and health and safety.
Its programmes range from intermediate apprenticeships through to degree-level routes, allowing workers to earn while gaining recognised qualifications.
Explore Balfour Beatty apprenticeship opportunities
Energy infrastructure driving demand for workers
The recruitment programme is being supported by a substantial pipeline of infrastructure projects.
Energy is emerging as a particularly important area.
Balfour Beatty reported 24% revenue growth in UK Power Transmission during the first half of 2026 and currently holds a £2.1 billion UK power-transmission order book.
Beyond the work already secured, the company says it has identified a further £6 billion to £8 billion pipeline of potential power-transmission projects.
This is significant for workers because expansion of Britain’s electricity infrastructure requires a wide range of occupations.
Engineering, construction, project management, electrical installation, surveying, digital engineering, plant operation, maintenance, health and safety and commercial roles can all form part of major infrastructure programmes.
Balfour Beatty’s current vacancies demonstrate the breadth of that demand, with roles distributed across Power Transmission and Distribution, highways, major projects, regional civil engineering and other areas of the business.
Engineering remains a bright spot for UK workers
The announcement arrives during a mixed period for Britain’s labour market.
The Workers Union recently reported that UK job vacancies had fallen for the 34th consecutive month, increasing competition among people looking for work.
However, the same recruitment evidence revealed substantial differences between industries.
Engineering was one of the areas where permanent vacancies increased, while blue-collar occupations also showed greater resilience within the temporary recruitment market.
Earlier in the year, The Workers Union also identified manufacturing, engineering, logistics and warehousing as areas showing stronger recruitment activity despite weakness elsewhere in the labour market.
The latest Balfour Beatty announcement strengthens the argument that workers should look beyond the national headline employment figures when assessing where opportunities are emerging.
It does not mean that Britain’s overall labour market has recovered. But it does show that businesses with substantial order books and long-term infrastructure requirements are continuing to recruit.
Another positive signal for skilled employment
The announcement is particularly notable because it follows a series of investments involving skilled UK employment.
The Workers Union recently reported that Airbus is preparing to increase its Broughton workforce by nearly 900 people as the aerospace manufacturer invests £150 million in additional production capacity.
Now Balfour Beatty is planning another 2,000 positions, with the company’s expansion linked to infrastructure and energy projects extending over several years.
These announcements should be viewed in context.
Some industries continue to restructure and workers in several sectors are facing redundancies. National vacancy numbers also remain under pressure.
But substantial recruitment programmes within aerospace, engineering, energy and infrastructure provide a more positive picture for workers possessing technical skills — and potentially for those prepared to develop them.
Apprenticeships could provide a route into long-term careers
The scale of Balfour Beatty’s early-career commitment makes this more than an announcement aimed at experienced engineers.
Workers entering employment for the first time could account for around half of the planned recruitment.
Balfour Beatty says its apprenticeship schemes are available across the UK and combine workplace experience with formal learning. Depending on the programme, apprentices can work towards qualifications ranging from vocational awards to full degrees.
Graduate opportunities cover both technical and business disciplines, with routes towards professional qualifications including Chartered Engineer and Chartered Surveyor status.
That combination of employment, practical experience and recognised qualifications could be particularly attractive to young people who want to develop a professional career without following a conventional full-time university route.
There is already evidence of infrastructure projects creating these pathways. Balfour Beatty reported earlier this year that HS2 had passed the milestone of 2,000 apprenticeships created, alongside more than 5,600 people supported into employment from unemployment.
Opportunities available across Britain
The recruitment is not centred on a single factory or location.
Balfour Beatty operates infrastructure projects across the UK, meaning employment opportunities can arise across numerous regions and disciplines.
Its current recruitment portal includes opportunities in London, Scotland, the Midlands, North West, North East, Yorkshire, East Anglia, South East and other parts of Britain.
Workers interested in the company’s planned expansion can view vacancies directly through the Balfour Beatty careers service.
The Workers Union also provides a live UK jobs service covering engineering, technology, health, graduate opportunities and other sectors, allowing workers to search current vacancies by occupation and location.
The service was expanded earlier this year as part of The Workers Union’s commitment to providing practical support for people looking for their next opportunity.
Infrastructure investment needs skilled workers
Large infrastructure announcements often concentrate on investment figures and individual projects, but the workforce behind those projects is equally important.
Britain cannot expand electricity transmission, construct major transport infrastructure or deliver complex engineering projects without developing the people capable of doing the work.
Balfour Beatty Group Chief Executive Philip Hoare said the company’s planned 2,000-person workforce expansion reflected the scale of opportunity ahead and the need to invest in people and technical expertise.
The company’s existing workforce growth also suggests this is not simply an aspiration beginning from a standing start.
Employee numbers have already risen substantially since 2023, and the latest announcement sets out a further two-year recruitment programme.
For workers, the question will now be how quickly those plans translate into advertised positions across the country.
The Workers Union view
At a time when many workers are seeing headlines about falling vacancies, restructuring and redundancy, major employers announcing substantial UK recruitment programmes deserve attention.
The creation of around 2,000 additional positions, including approximately 1,000 opportunities for apprentices, graduates, interns and trainees, represents a significant commitment to Britain’s future workforce.
It is also encouraging to see opportunities linked to sectors where long-term skills will be required.
Infrastructure, electricity networks, construction and engineering cannot operate without skilled people. Investment in physical infrastructure therefore needs to be accompanied by investment in training, qualifications and sustainable careers.
The Workers Union believes workers should have access to clear information about where employment opportunities are developing and the skills employers increasingly require.
Recent expansion at Airbus and now Balfour Beatty suggests that engineering, advanced manufacturing, energy and infrastructure are becoming increasingly important areas to watch for workers considering their next career move.
This does not erase the challenges elsewhere in Britain’s employment market. But for workers looking for evidence that new opportunities are still being created, 2,000 additional jobs backed by a substantial infrastructure pipeline is a welcome development.
Workers searching for opportunities can use The Workers Union live UK jobs service, while apprentices, graduates and experienced professionals interested specifically in the infrastructure expansion can explore current Balfour Beatty careers and vacancies.
