Thousands more to get the tools they need to start construction careers

Thousands of people are set to benefit from on-the-job training and career opportunities in the construction sector.   

Roles ranging from project managers to bricklayers will be made available to jobseekers thanks to the agreement, which will mean Jobcentres working more closely with the construction industry to offer work experience and tailored placements to meet the need of employers and people looking to start a fulfilling career.   

The agreement signed earlier this week at the newly-launched Green Plant Academy at the Earls Court Skills Centre, by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Department for Work and Pensions, is a major step in the Government's drive to get Britain building and get Britain working as part of its Plan for Change.   

More than 40,000 industry placements will be funded through a further £100 million from the government, alongside a £32 million contribution from the CITB.   

This comes alongside a £1 billion employment support package to support more disabled people and those with health conditions back into work. This is a quadrupling of the level of annual spend on supporting sick and disabled people into work, from the £275 million in 2024/25 we inherited, to over £1 billion in 2029/30.    

It comes as the Deputy Prime Minister will co-chair the first Construction Skills Mission Board with Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council today, where, alongside Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, Skills Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Industry Sarah Jones, and several CEOs and sector leaders, they will launch an industry commitment to recruit 100,000 more construction workers per year by the end of the Parliament. This will be a step-change for the construction sector, creating good jobs across the country to deliver on government's housing and infrastructure commitments, including building 1.5 million homes over this Parliament and delivery of the 10-year infrastructure strategy.  

Ministers will highlight major reforms to transform Jobcentres as well as the £625 million investment to tackle skills shortages in the construction sector – expected to create up to 60,000 more jobs for engineers, electricians and joiners by the end of the parliament. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said:   

"Building 1.5 million homes takes investment, skills, and a government that's ready to roll up its sleeves to deliver. And that is exactly what we are doing.  

“Our Plan for Change commits to delivering the biggest boost for affordable and social housing in a generation, which we've backed with a £39 billion investment over ten years.   

“We're working hand-in-hand with industry to recruit thousands more workers into skilled construction jobs, and thanks to our Make Work Pay reforms we will ensure these jobs are more secure and better rewarded.”   

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:    

 “I am determined that our young people have the best start in life. To do this we must give them the tools they need to get ahead.    

"This agreement, alongside our record funding will do just that. Our welfare reforms will see the biggest investment in a generation to support disabled people into secure, well-paid work.      

"Our Plan for Change will deliver the jobs, homes and opportunities we need to build a stronger and more prosperous Britain."  

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said   

“The construction sector is on the frontline in our mission to grow the economy, giving more people skilled jobs building the homes and infrastructure we need.   

“Through our Plan for Change we are determined to break the link between background and success, so that more young people can get on in well paid careers.   

“The Construction Skills Mission Board will make sure we hear directly from employers about what their skills needs are, driving our reforms and helping more young people achieve and thrive.” 

Tim Balcon, CEO, CITB said:  

“Opportunities in construction are for everybody, whatever their background. By working together, we can widen the talent pool, bring in more diverse voices, and encourage more people to consider a career in construction. 

“Every year, over 100,000 people receive construction training. I want many more of them to forge lasting careers in the sector. This is why the partnership with DWP is so vital, as it helps ensure individuals are not just trained but truly prepared for careers in construction.  

“The Government commitment to addressing the housing shortage, improving the country's infrastructure, and investing in construction skills mean this is a real boom time for our industry.” 

This industry commitment follows the biggest boost to social and affordable housing investment in a generation, with the Chancellor committing £39 billion for the Affordable Homes Programme. This is the first time in living memory affordable housing funding has been committed over a 10-year period.    

From August, new construction foundation apprenticeships, backed by an additional £40 million, will provide young people at the start of their career with a route into construction. The scheme comes as part of the governments Youth Guarantee to ensure every young person is either earning or learning and will give youngsters skills in a range of specialist occupations, such as brick laying and carpentry, as well as employability skills and behaviours.    

Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council and Co-Chair of the Construction Skills Mission Board, said: 

“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.  

“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.” 

In attendance at the signing of the agreement in West London earlier this week was Millie, whose bricklaying apprenticeship with The Skills Centre enabled her to gain meaningful, long-term work in the sector. She now works on live sites, putting her training into practice and has discovered her passion for the industry; “I really enjoy learning brickwork and then doing it for real on site. I would really recommend an apprenticeship in construction — it's open to all.”  

The government is already expanding workplace training through Sector Based Workplace Academy Programmes (SWAPs), with over 100,000 SWAPs expected to take place this financial year. The placements offer jobseekers the opportunity to kickstart a new career by providing training, workplace placements and a guaranteed interview with an employer.   

SWAPs are proven to help people to stay in work for longer and boost their pay, while getting businesses loyal staff with the right skills, with the scheme to be boosted even further, giving even more people access to these life-changing schemes.