Construction is currently recording the highest demand for workers among all industrial segments. According to Grafton Recruitment’s Industrial Salary Report 2026, strong recruitment activity is being driven by infrastructure, energy, grid and renewable energy investments. Companies are looking for both manual workers and construction and contract managers, designers, engineers and specialists with construction licences.
Construction: An Investment Barometer and the Leading Source of Labour Demand
Against the backdrop of weaker conditions in industry, construction remains one of the sectors showing improvement. In March this year, the overall business climate indicator for construction stood at -2.8, compared with -4.9 a year earlier. This is being supported by investments financed through Poland’s National Recovery Plan, as well as high spending on infrastructure, energy, rail, road and renewable energy development.
“Construction is one of those sectors whose condition quickly generates demand in other parts of the economy. New investments in this industry create orders for materials manufacturers, transport and logistics companies, while also increasing demand for design and financial services,” says Danuta Protasewicz, Regional Manager at Grafton Recruitment.
High investment spending is translating directly into staffing needs. According to Grafton Recruitment’s Industrial Salary Report, the labour demand index in construction reached 1.39 in the first quarter of 2026, compared with the market average of 0.99. By comparison, demand in production, quality, process and maintenance roles was in line with the benchmark, while logistics and supply chain management recorded 0.84, and R&D and engineering centres 0.37.
“Construction is changing significantly. Energy projects, transmission grids, renewables and the modernisation of industrial infrastructure are playing an increasingly important role. Such projects are far more demanding than traditional road or building construction, which is why companies need specialists with experience in designing, managing and coordinating complex investments. Access to these skills will increasingly determine whether contracts can be delivered efficiently,” says Danuta Protasewicz.
Who Is Construction Looking for Today?
The greatest demand concerns roles directly involved in managing and delivering investments. Companies are seeking site engineers, works managers, construction managers and project managers, particularly those with experience in industrial and energy projects, including high-voltage lines and substations as well as medium- and low-voltage developments.
Demand also includes railway and telecommunications specialists for major infrastructure projects. On the planning and project-control side, employers are looking for cost estimators working on public tenders, claims specialists and planners managing project schedules, including in Primavera P6.
What these roles have in common is work on investments of greater organisational, technical and formal complexity. For this reason, companies are placing strong emphasis on project experience, digital skills and documentation expertise, including knowledge of BIM, automation, prefabrication and ESG requirements.
For such projects, the ability to coordinate multiple parties involved in the construction process, control budgets and timelines, and carry out work in accordance with quality and regulatory requirements is essential.
Energy Projects Reward Specialist Experience
Energy projects are among the main sources of demand for specialists in construction. The modernisation of power grids, the expansion of renewable energy and investment in high-voltage infrastructure are shifting the focus from construction execution alone towards experience in managing complex technical projects.
“The energy sector introduces a different level of responsibility into construction. Grid and commissioning projects require excellent construction organisation, knowledge and understanding of standards, acceptance procedures, occupational safety rules and the technical consequences of every decision. This narrows the candidate pool. Experience gained on simpler projects is not always sufficient for energy investments,” says Ewa Gumbarewicz, recruitment expert at Grafton Recruitment.
The importance of energy investment is reflected in salaries. Some of the highest pay levels in construction apply to energy-related roles. Commissioning managers can expect gross monthly salaries of PLN 26,000 to PLN 36,000. High-voltage construction managers can earn PLN 24,000 to PLN 30,000, while high-voltage works managers receive PLN 19,000 to PLN 25,000.
Designers of high-voltage substations and transmission lines earn an average of PLN 18,000 to PLN 26,000 gross per month. In 2026, salary ranges for these roles remained at last year’s levels, keeping them among the highest-paid positions in construction. Quality-related roles are also valued highly: quality coordinators earn PLN 19,000 to PLN 23,000 gross per month, while quality specialists receive PLN 11,000 to PLN 16,000.
Contract Management and Construction Organisation Offer High Pay
Contract and management positions also remain near the top of the salary table. Contract directors can expect gross monthly salaries of PLN 29,000 to PLN 35,000, while contract or project managers currently earn PLN 19,000 to PLN 26,000.
Among works managers, electrical and bridge-and-road roles are valued most highly. Electrical works managers earn PLN 14,000 to PLN 21,000, bridge or road works managers receive PLN 14,000 to PLN 20,000, and sanitary works managers earn an average of PLN 12,000 to PLN 18,000.
Construction managers in general building construction maintained last year’s salary range of PLN 16,000 to PLN 20,000 gross per month. These pay levels reflect responsibility for schedules, safety, cooperation with subcontractors and day-to-day decisions on site. In large projects, delays and organisational mistakes can directly increase project costs.
Salaries for foremen and construction work coordinators remain stable, at PLN 8,000 to PLN 10,000 gross per month.
Engineers, Designers and Estimators at the Heart of Investment Projects
Construction engineers currently earn most often between PLN 8,000 and PLN 13,000 gross per month, depending on their specialisation. General construction engineers earn PLN 9,000 to PLN 12,000, electrical construction engineers PLN 9,500 to PLN 13,000, and sanitary construction engineers PLN 8,000 to PLN 11,000.
These roles are closer to day-to-day project delivery than strategic contract management, but their importance is increasing as projects become larger and more complex.
“Higher salary ranges can be seen where technical skills are combined with project responsibility. The market places greater value on roles linked to infrastructure and installations, which are particularly important in energy, grid and modernisation projects, where technical documentation affects costs, schedules and the later delivery of works,” says Danuta Protasewicz.
Electrical installation designers currently earn PLN 12,000 to PLN 19,000, infrastructure designers PLN 12,500 to PLN 21,000, building designers PLN 11,000 to PLN 18,000, and sanitary installation designers PLN 10,000 to PLN 16,000 gross per month.
People responsible for cost estimation also play an important role. In projects delivered under time and cost pressure, a well-prepared estimate can reduce the risk of budget adjustments already at the construction stage. Cost estimation specialists currently earn PLN 9,000 to PLN 12,000 gross per month, while road cost estimation specialists earn PLN 9,000 to PLN 17,000.
Technical Education Is Recovering, but Market Demand Is Growing Faster
After several years of decline, the number of students in technology, industry and construction-related fields increased by 0.8% year on year in the 2024/2025 academic year. This followed declines of 3.5% in 2023/2024 and 5% in 2022/2023.
The strongest growth in the number of technical students was recorded in the Silesian and West Pomeranian voivodeships, both at 6%, and in Lubuskie, at 4%. The total number of students in Poland increased by 2.8% during the same period.
For construction, this is a positive signal, although the effects will take time to materialise. The sector needs people prepared to work on complex projects, while acquiring the necessary skills and licences takes several years. University education is only the beginning of a career path that must be supplemented by experience gained in the design and delivery of investment projects.
“The most difficult specialists to recruit are those whose skills take years to develop. A young engineer can join a design or construction team relatively quickly, but independently managing an investment requires far more experience. This is why an increase in student numbers will not solve the staff shortage in the short term. The industry needs well-organised internships, mentoring, support in obtaining professional licences and close cooperation between companies, universities and technical schools,” says Ewa Gumbarewicz.
The Industry’s Challenge: Retaining Specialists on Major Projects
Construction companies are now competing for a limited pool of experienced managers, designers, engineers and technical specialists. Some of them choose other sectors, including energy and defence, where equally attractive projects are being delivered, often with more competitive salaries.
In this environment, attracting and retaining experienced employees is becoming one of the most important challenges, particularly for positions related to contract management, design, supervision and investment delivery.
“In the coming years, the companies that gain an advantage will be those able to attract and retain experienced staff while creating development paths for younger specialists. Candidates are looking for a genuine long-term perspective: attractive pay, opportunities to obtain professional licences and clear career development prospects,” Ewa Gumbarewicz concludes.
About the Report
The Industrial Salary Report 2026 is the tenth edition of Grafton Recruitment’s recurring study. It includes salary comparisons for employees at every level, from manual workers and specialists to management staff, across sectors such as pharmaceuticals and chemicals, automotive and equipment manufacturing, FMCG, research and development, engineering and distribution centres, construction and defence.
The salary survey was conducted between March and April 2026 on a sample of 9,345 candidates working in the industrial sector and 178 companies. The publication also includes expert commentary outlining the sector’s current challenges and development prospects.
