Queensland’s construction industry is on the brink of its biggest challenge — and opportunity — in a generation.

With the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games fast approaching, billions are being poured into transformative infrastructure projects: stadiums, athletes’ villages, upgraded transport corridors, new housing developments, and green energy initiatives. The state’s $27.1 billion capital works budget for 2024–25 is just the beginning.

But there's a critical question facing the industry: who will do the work?

The 2024–25 Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) outlook reveals a growing crisis — an average annual shortfall of over 18,000 skilled workers through to 2027. And with Olympic deadlines locked in, delays are not an option. Carpenters, engineers, concreters, plant operators, and electricians are already in short supply — and demand is only growing.