Region
West Midlands: how busy are the trades?
No trend data yet 7-day urgent wait (Birmingham). ECA names it among the worst regions for electrical shortages.
The figures
| Trade | Where | Measure | Figure | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All trades | West Midlands (Birmingham) | Urgent repair wait, city (days) City: Birmingham | 7 days | Survey published July 2025 | Markel Direct via Fix Radio, 15 Jul 2025 |
| All trades | West Midlands | Urgent repair wait, regional average (days) | 7 days | Markel data, regional roll-up published May 2026 | Fix Radio analysis of Markel data, 15 May 2026 |
| All trades | West Midlands | Construction workforce, 2025 | 264,760 workers | 2025 actual | CITB Workforce Outlook data, 17 Jun 2026 |
| All trades | West Midlands | Skilled-trade recruitment need per year (% of workforce) Skilled trades and site-based occupations | 1.2% | 2026-2030 average | CITB Workforce Outlook data, 17 Jun 2026 |
| All trades | West Midlands | Extra workers needed per year, 2026-2030 All occupations | 3,810 workers per year | 2026-2030 average | CITB Workforce Outlook data, 17 Jun 2026 |
| Electrician | West Midlands | Among ECA's worst-hit regions for electrical shortages Named by ECA among regions most affected by electrical skills shortages | yes | 2026 Index | ECA Electrical Skills Index, 9 Feb 2026 |
| Roofer | Midlands (NFRC region) | Roofers reporting higher workloads Up from 32% previous quarter (NFRC 'Midlands' region) | 42% | Q1 2026 | NFRC via Construction News, 9 Jul 2026 |
| Builder / extensions | England | Builders' workloads (net balance) | +22 | H2 2025 | FMB/CIOB State of Trade H2 2025, 31 Mar 2026 |
| Builder / extensions | England | Builders' enquiries (net balance) | +19 | H2 2025 | FMB/CIOB State of Trade H2 2025, 31 Mar 2026 |
| Builder / extensions | England | Builders' workloads (net balance) | -9 | H1 2026 | FMB Scotland, 10 Nov 2026 |
We only show figures that have been published for this area. National trade figures are on each trade page.