Keeping Confidence on Track: Reflections on Industry Growth and Skills Challenges
ATT’s Commercial Director, Andrew Basham, reflects on the latest ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor reports for Energy, Water & Mining and Construction.
The latest ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor reports for Q1 2025 offer a revealing snapshot of the state of play in two key sectors that we at ATT are proud to serve—Energy, Water & Mining, and Construction.
At a time when the wider UK economy continues to battle low levels of business confidence, these sectors are notable outliers. Both are reporting steady growth and a cautiously optimistic outlook, buoyed by solid pipelines of work and ongoing investment in infrastructure and sustainability.
In particular, the Energy, Water & Mining sector is showing impressive resilience. Employment is up 2.3%—well above the national average—and while the pace of recruitment is expected to reduce slightly over the coming year, it will still exceed historical trends and remain above the national average for the whole employment market. This suggests continued momentum in capital projects and long-term transformation programmes.
Construction, too, is holding its ground. Despite ongoing cost pressures and a tight labour market, the sector continues to show confidence in its forward-looking order books, especially in the industrial and infrastructure segments.
But growth brings its own challenges. Both reports underscore ongoing, and indeed increasing, skills shortages—particularly the availability of non-management skills, which almost a quarter of Energy, Water & Mining companies now cite as a growing concern. Management skills are also a key concern, with availability concerns above the national average. This points to a broader talent pipeline issue that, if left unchecked, could slow progress.
At ATT, we believe people are at the heart of sustained sector growth. Our work helps organisations to build stronger, safer, and more effective teams—on site, in leadership, and across project delivery. Through our immersive safety leadership programmes we support companies in equipping their people with the skills, mindsets and confidence to thrive in complex and high-risk environments.
These latest insights confirm what we see first hand: a sector pushing forward confidently, but facing real challenges in workforce skills that needs active investment and intelligent support. That’s where ATT continues to play a vital role.
As the sector grows in strength, we remain focused on helping companies meet today’s challenges—so they’re ready for tomorrow’s opportunities.
The full ICEAW Business Confidence Monitor reports can be read on their website here:
