This article explores questions of labour reproduction and skill development under different contract arrangements within the UK construction and civil engineering industry. The central concerns of the article relate to the impact skills shortages within the sector have had on recruitment practices, training provision and the use of contract alternatives in terms of both direct and non-standard labour. The argument primarily draws on data from a national postal survey conducted in 2002, covering firms of all sizes within this key economic sector. The article reveals some interesting findings regarding recruitment and training practices which, despite encouraging headline figures on the existence of training, reveal an over-dependency on contingent labour and low levels of apprenticeships – particularly among small firms, which are predominant in the industry. This suggests that the recognised problems of labour shortages within the sector are ongoing, and that the aim of attracting new workers into the industry remains unrealised. © 2004 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
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