Scotland needs infrastructure workers but are we looking in the right places?

When I meet people in custody across Scotland, I do not simply see people preparing to leave prison; I meet people who have worked in construction, manufacturing, transport and other practical industries, alongside people who are motivated to develop new skills and build a very different future for themselves.

There is evidence to suggest that the scale of this potential is significant. Research cited in our work indicates that around 80% of people in prison have a skill related to construction. Applied to Scotland’s prison population of 8,354, that could represent as many as 6,683 people with construction-related skills. Our own early engagement reinforces that potential, with 92% of the 136 residents involved in the initial proof of concept saying they had a genuine ambition to pursue opportunities in construction.

Yet the prospect of securing employment after release can be daunting, particularly when a conviction has to be disclosed and there is an expectation that an employer will see the conviction before they see the person, their experience or what they could contribute.

If Scotland’s infrastructure sector wants a broader and more resilient skills pipeline, we cannot continue looking for people in exactly the same places and expect a different result, particularly when there are people with relevant experience and the motivation to work who struggle to get through the first stage of recruitment.

That does not mean lowering recruitment standards, overlooking appropriate checks or suggesting that every person leaving custody will be right for every role. It means being prepared to judge people on their suitability, skills and potential, rather than allowing their past to make the decision before the conversation has even begun.

We have seen what can happen when that first opportunity is provided. John (surname removed to protect anonymity) joined Amey after leaving prison in April 2023 and was open about his past during his interview; he has since progressed from working on the roads as a Highways Maintenance Operative to become Depot Supervisor supported by further qualifications and training along the way.

His experience matters because it demonstrates what can happen when an employer is prepared to look beyond someone’s conviction and consider what they could contribute, with an initial opportunity developing into progression, responsibility and a longer-term career.

If employers are going to tap into this potential workforce, however, we need to recognise that training by itself is not enough, because gaining a qualification has limited value if someone reaches the end of their sentence without the employer connections, recruitment support or employment opportunities needed to put it to use.

That thinking has shaped Unlocking Future Connections, a programme developed by Amey and delivered alongside the Scottish Prison Service, CITB and industry partners to connect people in custody with employers, accredited training, recruitment support and ultimately opportunities to move into employment.

After approximately nine months, the first phase of the programme has reached 220 residents across six establishments, while 109 residents have completed practical phase-two training, with participants moving into roles with Amey, Speedy Hire and other construction employers. For me, that begins to demonstrate the opportunity, but the real test is not simply how many people we train. It is whether we create pathways into sustainable employment.

Those numbers are encouraging, but for me the bigger lesson is what has to happen around the training if we want this kind of approach to deliver lasting change. Qualifications need to reflect the skills industry actually requires, employers need to engage before someone reaches the point of release, recruitment teams need to understand the circumstances people are coming from, and the pathway must ultimately connect to genuine vacancies and careers.

This cannot sit solely with prisons, training providers or social value teams, because however successful the training may be, the final and most important part of the pathway depends on employers being prepared to turn that preparation into opportunity.