Number of New Graduates Entering Construction Engineering Jobs Declines for Third Consecutive Year; Shifts in Composition Seen with More Women and Non-Engineering Majors

Human Resocia Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku, Tokyo; President: Tetsuo Takahashi), a comprehensive human resources service company specializing in staffing, overseas engineer placement, and recruitment for the construction industry, has analyzed the latest data on new graduate employment trends for construction engineers—a sector long plagued by labor shortages. The survey reveals that the number of new graduates from universities and other institutions entering construction engineering roles fell by 0.9% year-on-year to approximately 22,000, marking the third consecutive year of decline. Additionally, while the number of graduate school alumni entering the field has increased, there has been a notable shift in the composition of new hires, with a rising percentage of women and individuals from non-engineering academic backgrounds. [Key Findings] ● The number of new graduates entering construction engineering roles is approximately 22,000, a 0.9% year-on-year decrease and the third consecutive year of decline. ● An increase in graduate school alumni, a slight increase in university graduates, and a decrease in vocational school graduates. ● A shift in the composition of new hires, with a higher proportion of women and non-engineering majors.

・This report aggregates and analyzes data on employment by occupation for graduates of higher education institutions (graduate schools, universities, junior colleges, technical colleges, and vocational schools) based on the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "School Basic Survey." ・"Construction engineering employment" is defined as graduates of graduate schools, universities, junior colleges, and technical colleges who entered "Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Surveying" roles, and vocational school graduates who majored in "Surveying" or "Civil Engineering/Architecture" and entered the same field. 1. Background The construction industry faces significant challenges in securing human resources due to an aging workforce and labor shortages. In response, companies are strengthening their new graduate recruitment efforts. Based on this, we analyzed the latest data for the class of March 2025 to assess the employment situation for new construction engineers. 2. Summary of Survey Results ● Number of New Graduates Entering Construction Engineering Declines for Third Consecutive Year The number of individuals who graduated from higher education institutions in March 2025 and entered the workforce as construction engineers was approximately 22,000, a 0.9% decrease from the previous year. Since the decline began in 2023, this marks the third consecutive year of reduction, indicating that new graduate recruitment remains a difficult challenge. ● University Graduate Hires See Limited Recovery University graduates, who account for approximately 60% of new hires and form the core of recruitment, saw a 0.3% year-on-year increase in 2025, reaching approximately 13,000. While this marks a return to growth after two years of decline, the increase is limited and does not represent a significant recovery.