Balfour Beatty to add 2,000 UK jobs as infrastructure pipeline grows
Balfour Beatty plans to increase its UK workforce from around 14,000 to 16,000 over the next two years as it expands capacity to deliver major infrastructure projects.
The contractor’s UK workforce has grown from 12,200 at the end of 2023 to around 14,000 at the end of 2025. It expects employee numbers to increase by more than 30% over four years by the end of 2027.
Around 1,000 of the new positions are expected to come through apprenticeships, graduate programmes, internships and trainee roles.
Balfour Beatty targets 2,000 new infrastructure jobs
The recruitment programme is being supported by Balfour Beatty’s UK order book and growth in its energy and infrastructure markets.
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UK Power Transmission is a key area of growth. The business recorded 24% revenue growth in the first half of 2026 and currently has a £2.1bn UK Power Transmission order book, alongside an identified pipeline worth between £6bn and £8bn.
Philip Hoare, Group Chief Executive at Balfour Beatty, said: “Britain’s infrastructure ambitions will only be realised if the country has the capacity, capability and skills to deliver them.
“Expanding our workforce by 2,000 is a clear vote of confidence in the market. It shows the scale of opportunity ahead and our commitment to investing in the people, projects and technical expertise that will power Britain’s future.”
Balfour Beatty also works with around 7,200 UK supply chain partners, 64% of which are SMEs. The company said its supply chain supports the employment of more than four million people.
Apprenticeships and graduate roles to drive recruitment
Early-career workers currently account for around 9% of Balfour Beatty’s UK workforce.
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The contractor expects around half of its new recruits, equivalent to approximately 1,000 positions, to come through early-career routes.
These will include apprenticeships, graduate programmes, internships and trainee positions. If current projections are met, early-career employees will account for around 12.7% of the UK workforce by the end of 2027.
The recruitment programme comes as the infrastructure sector faces demand for additional skilled workers to deliver projects across energy and other major infrastructure markets.
Balfour Beatty expands workforce alongside infrastructure pipeline
Balfour Beatty said the investment will support the Government’s ambition to create clearer routes into technical careers alongside academic pathways.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “This is exactly what we want to see – a big British company backing Britain and creating 2,000 more jobs.
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“We’ve got a huge amount of work to do to get growth in every postcode over the next few years. So having British firms investing in people here, and training up the next generation to do those jobs, is really good news.”
