The UK Government has unveiled ambitious plans to strengthen training and career opportunities in the construction sector, marking a significant step in addressing the national construction skills shortage. This new initiative aims to create thousands of high-quality construction jobs in the UK, ensuring the industry is equipped to meet the country’s growing demand for new homes and vital infrastructure projects.
At the heart of this strategy is an agreement between the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Department for Work and Pensions, announced during the opening of the state-of-the-art Green Plant Academy at the Earl’s Court Skills Centre. This agreement will see Jobcentres working more closely with the construction industry, providing tailored work placements and training that meet the needs of both employers and job seekers looking to start rewarding careers in construction.
Plan for Change
The initiative is part of the government’s wider Plan for Change, designed to ‘Get Britain Building’ and ‘Get Britain Working.’ Thanks to this agreement, individuals will have access to a wide range of roles, from project management and surveying to frontline trades such as bricklaying, electrical work, and engineering. The collaboration will help job seekers gain the hands-on experience and industry-specific training needed to thrive in the sector.
David Barnes, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), welcomed the move: “It’s encouraging to see the government taking the skills challenge seriously and listening to concerns from within the industry. Ambitious housing targets are meaningless without a skilled workforce to deliver them. Today’s announcement shows real progress towards bridging the gap between rhetoric and action.”
Barnes also highlighted the importance of converting public interest into tangible career outcomes: “Our research shows two-thirds of young people aged 16-24 in the UK have a positive view of construction careers. We must harness that enthusiasm, with stronger partnerships between industry and policymakers to meet the demand for construction managers, planners, surveyors, and skilled tradespeople.”
Driving real change
Central to this new approach is the UK’s Construction Skills Mission Board, a newly formed body bringing together government, industry leaders, and education experts to address the sector’s workforce challenges head-on. The board is co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council, with participation from key figures such as Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, Skills Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith, and Minister for Industry Sarah Jones.
The Construction Skills Mission Board is tasked with ensuring the construction industry has access to the talent and skills it needs to deliver on the UK’s ambitious housing and infrastructure plans. Its primary goal is to oversee the recruitment of 100,000 additional construction workers each year by the end of the current Parliament. This represents a transformative opportunity to create high-quality, well-paid jobs across the UK, supporting economic growth and tackling long-standing skills shortages.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emphasised the critical role of the construction sector: “The construction sector is on the frontline of our mission to grow the economy by creating more skilled jobs and building the homes and infrastructure we need. The Construction Skills Mission Board will ensure employers’ voices are heard, driving reform and opening up more pathways for young people to achieve and thrive.”
Investment in construction skills
In addition to these structural reforms, the government has committed significant funding to bolster skills development in the sector. Over £100m will be invested to fund more than 40,000 industry placements, with the CITB contributing a further £32m to support this expansion.
To further close the construction skills gap, an additional £625m is being invested to train and upskill thousands of workers in roles such as engineering, electrical work, and joinery. This investment is expected to create up to 60,000 more construction jobs by the end of the current Parliament.
With demand for skilled workers in the construction sector at an all-time high, these measures are a welcome boost for both employers and job seekers. By forging stronger partnerships between Jobcentres, industry, and educational institutions, the UK is laying the foundations for a future where construction careers are accessible, attractive, and key to building the nation’s prosperity.
Step up as a sector
Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council and Co-Chair of the Construction Skills Mission Board, said: “We have seen real ambition from the Government through its commitment to 1.5 million new homes, clean power by 2030, and a renewal of our public infrastructure; and that ambition has been backed by significant funding commitments around skills. Construction will be essential to delivering growth and investment across the UK, and so it is vital that we now step up as a sector.
“The Construction Skills Mission Board represents a new partnership between industry and government, working together to find industry-led, collaborative solutions to delivering the workforce of the future. I am delighted that we have seen such strong support from Ministers and some of the most important leaders in our sector – and I hope everyone will play their part in the delivery of this essential mission.”
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