Chancellor Rachel Reeves has vowed to train 60,000 construction workers with £600 million of investment.
Reeves said: “We are determined to get Britain building again, that’s why we are taking on the blockers to build 1.5 million new homes and rebuild our roads, rail and energy infrastructure.
“But none of this is possible without the engineers, brickies, sparkies, and chippies to actually get the work done, which we are facing a massive shortage of.
“We’ve overhauled the planning system that is holding this country back, now we are gripping the lack of skilled construction workers, delivering on our Plan for Change to boost jobs and growth for working people.”
Of that £600 million of investment, £100 million will be invested in 10 technical excellence colleges; £165 million to help colleges deliver more construction courses; £100 million of funding for new entrants, returners, and upskilling within industry; £20 million for Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIP); new foundation apprenticeships funded by £40 million; a further £100 million of government funding for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB); £80 million capital fund to support employers to deliver bespoke training.
Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said: “The Chancellor has followed up her push for planning reform with considerable new funding to train more construction apprentices, demonstrating her understanding that without business certainty and high-quality training, new learners will struggle not only to be trained, but most importantly, to be retained.
“As SMEs train 73% of construction apprentices, the Chancellor now needs MHCLG, DEFRA. DESNZ, DfT, and DBT to support her ambitions.
“These departments must work together to ensure that SMEs, the trainers and retainers, are able to win pipelines of work so they can afford to take on apprentices, support their growth and establish meaningful careers.”
Rico Wojtulewicz, head of policy and market insight at the NFB and House Builders Association (HBA), added: “The Chancellor should be commended for recognizing that growth is primarily driven by business certainty and people, rather than tax breaks. Funding for colleges and trainers is particularly welcome, as they play a critical role in ensuring apprentices receive the highest-quality training.
“However, without support from other government departments, these ambitions will fail. Education reforms must not prohibit or deter experienced construction workers from teaching in colleges or academies simply because they are deemed unqualified.
“Planning reform must shift its focus beyond large developers onto the 99% of housebuilders who train 7 in 10 apprentices. Grid reforms need accelerating, with energy policy addressing construction challenges and costs. Both environmental and procurement policies require continuous review.
“For too long, years have been wasted trying to solve individual issues, and while we have already seen action from Labour to promote that, it is now time to get around the table and thrash out a deliverable strategy.”