Civil and structural engineering consultancy Sutcliffe has announced a commitment to train 40 new engineers over the next decade to help tackle the critical skills shortage in the UK's engineering industry.

The consultancy, which employs more than 65 staff across offices in Liverpool, Manchester, North Wales, London and the Midlands, says the sector's skills shortage poses a “fundamental threat” to delivering on infrastructure ambitions. 

The Royal Academy of Engineering has warned the UK faces a shortage of up to 1.5 million engineers by 2030, while the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) data shows 91,000 engineers – representing 19% of the current workforce – are approaching retirement by 2026.

Sutcliffe, which is also marking its 40^th anniversary, says this skills shortage threatens to undermine the government's build target of delivering 1.5 million new homes, with engineering capacity becoming an increasingly critical bottleneck in housing delivery nationwide.

Throughout its four-decade history, Sutcliffe has maintained a strong commitment to developing new talent, with a significant proportion of the current team having begun their careers with the company.

The firm has comprehensive apprenticeship programmes, graduate development schemes and mentoring initiatives that have developed hundreds of engineering careers.

The initiative addresses the growing financial barriers facing young engineers, with four-year university engineering degrees now costing up to £89,000, creating significant obstacles for talented individuals seeking to enter the profession.

Sean Keyes, CEO at Sutcliffe, said: “The construction industry I joined over four decades ago is facing an unprecedented challenge. We’re looking at a skills crisis where nearly one in five engineers will retire just as demand for engineering expertise is set to surge by 28%.

“This isn’t simply an industry issue – it’s a fundamental threat to our ability to deliver the homes and infrastructure our communities desperately need.

“At Sutcliffe, we take pride in nurturing talent from the ground up. Some of our most senior engineers today started their journey with us as apprentices or graduates, and they're now leading complex projects across the UK. Our commitment to train 40 new engineers over the next decade isn't just about securing our own future – it's about ensuring our industry has the skilled professionals needed to tackle the challenges ahead.

“We're not waiting for others to act. This is about taking responsibility and investing in the next generation who will inherit the built environment we're creating today. The young engineers we train now will be the ones solving tomorrow’s challenges, and we’re determined to give them every opportunity to excel and lead the way forward. We have a responsibility to pass on our knowledge to the next generation.”

Sutcliffe is marking its 40th anniversary today (8 October) at an event taking place at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in Bramley Moore.