Labour Demand Forecast

Evidence-based workforce planning for construction and infrastructure.

WLC Labour Forecast in Numbers

Years experience in labour forecast

Local and regional analyses completed

Occupational groups forecasted

Labour Forecasting Tool

From project data to labour forecast

Expertise and track record

We are leaders in advanced labour demand forecasting, combining novel data analysis techniques with decades of expertise.
Our advanced methodologies deliver trade- and region-specific forecasts with industry-leading accuracy.
Our analyses enable evidence-based workforce planning for projects of any type and scale.

The award-winning Labour Forecasting Tool (LFT)

Developed for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) by WLC Ltd
Forecasts labour needs for a range of project types, including:
- Housing (timber and non-timber)
- Infrastructure
- Schools (steel and non-steel)
- Highways
- Commercial (office and retail)
- Housing refurbishment, repair and maintenance
- Non-housing refurbishment, repair and maintenance
Generates trade-by-trade forecasts for 28 occupational groups on a monthly basis, modelled across multiple scenarios.
Requires only a project’s start and end dates, location, and value as inputs.
Provides clarity and confidence for clients, contractors and policymakers by turning robust data into actionable evidence.

Local Authorities

Plan and negotiate realistic skills and employment commitments backed by evidence.

Developers & Contractors

Forecast workforce needs trade-by-trade to manage risks and deliver on time.

Skills & Training Bodies

Shape training programmes that align directly with future labour demand.

Regional Planners

Model overlapping projects to avoid bottlenecks and support long-term strategies.

Trusted by industry leaders

We deliver labour and skills analyses at every scale—from national infrastructure such as HS2 and Heathrow, to borough-level studies in London, regional forecasts across England and Scotland, and international projects like the Southern African Railways Association’s (SARA) workforce demand strategy.

City of London Sustainable Skills

WLC Ltd, in partnership with CITB, carried out the labour-demand and skills-gap analysis for the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce, supporting Central London’s goal of a net-zero commercial built environment.

Link to the complete report

HS2 Labour and Skills Analysis

WLC Ltd provided the critical modelling and labour-forecasting expertise to pinpoint how many workers, which skills, and at what stages and locations were needed across every phase of the national high-speed rail programme.

Link to the complete report

Heathrow Labour Forecasting

WLC Ltd delivered expert labour-demand forecasting, aligning construction plans with workforce availability, apprenticeship targets, and long-term industry needs.

Details available on request

Southern African Railways Association

WLC Ltd carried out a high-level workforce analysis with Crossrail International as part of the UK Green Cities Infrastructure and Energy Programme to help the SARA members shape a skills, employment and education strategy.