Balfour Beatty plans to add around 2,000 employees to its UK workforce by the end of next year, taking headcount to roughly 16,000.
The infrastructure group says the recruitment drive reflects rising demand for major projects, particularly in the power transmission market. Its UK Power Transmission business recorded 24% revenue growth in the first half of 2026 and has a current order book worth £2.1bn. A further pipeline valued at between £6bn and £8bn is behind the planned expansion.
A major push for early-career talent
About half of the new jobs are expected to go to people at the start of their careers. Around 1,000 positions will be offered through apprenticeships, graduate schemes, internships and trainee roles.
Early-career recruits currently make up about 9% of Balfour Beatty’s UK workforce. The company expects that figure to reach around 12.7% by the end of 2027.
The contractor also works with about 7,200 UK supply-chain partners, around 64% of which are small and medium-sized businesses. It estimates that its wider supply chain supports employment for roughly four million people.
Why it matters for Britain
The recruitment will add jobs and training opportunities while helping build the skills needed for planned energy and infrastructure work. More activity could also support smaller firms working in Balfour Beatty’s UK supply chain.
