Bouygues targets 30,000 new hires globally as construction workforce drive accelerates

French multinational Bouygues Group has announced plans to recruit 30,000 people worldwide in 2026 under its newly launched Future Shapers campaign, including 2,700 vacancies in the UK, as reported by Construction Management. The group is already the largest non-British employer in the UK construction and services sector, with 20,000 employees currently in post.

Recruitment is concentrated across Bouygues' Construction Division, comprising Colas Ltd, Colas Rail UK, Bouygues UK and Bouygues Travaux Publics UK, as well as its Energy and Services business Equans UK and Ireland. Hiring activity in the UK is focused primarily on the London, Birmingham and Liverpool-Manchester areas.

Beyond the UK, the group is recruiting across 80 countries, with significant volumes targeted in Switzerland, where 1,250 vacancies are available, as well as Australia with 400 and Morocco with 300.

Roles span construction, civil engineering and civil works, including works supervisors across Colas, Bouygues Construction and Bouygues Immobilier. Energy transition and decarbonisation positions form a significant strand of the drive, including maintenance technicians, installation technicians and electricians through Equans, alongside digital, telecoms and media roles across other group divisions.

Jean-Manuel Soussan, senior vice-president and director of human resources at Bouygues Group, said: "At Bouygues, there's a place for everyone, whatever their background or level of education. Above all, we're looking for people who are committed and want to find meaning in their work. The Group offers opportunities in high-impact sectors, energy transition, construction, digital technology, media, to play an active role in the major transformations taking place around the world."

To support recruitment at scale, Bouygues is developing a new AI-powered recruitment platform accessible to both external applicants and its 200,000 existing employees, designed to facilitate internal mobility and new career pathways across the group.

The campaign also highlights Bouygues' employee ownership model. More than 72,000 staff currently hold shares in the group, representing over 19% of its share capital, a structure the company positions as a long-term employee benefit.

In France, the group plans to take on 7,000 interns and work-study students in 2026, with more than 50% offered permanent contracts on completion of their studies each year.

Explore the full details of the Bouygues Future Shapers campaign.