The government has announced new Technical Excellence Colleges to deliver high-demand construction skills to over 40,000 people by 2029
Stats from the ONS indicate that there are roughly 35,000 unfilled roles in the construction sector that need to be filled if the government’s target of 1.5m new homes is ever to be achieved.
It is hoped that these new colleges will fill these gaps, as well as provide further opportunities for young people to get into the construction sector by opening roads to apprenticeships, and improving skills for better-paid jobs.
The Technical Excellence Colleges are being built and opened through an investment of £100m and will train future builders, bricklayers, electricians, carpenters and plumbers.
The locations of the 10 Construction Technical Excellence Colleges are as follows:
- Derby College Group, East Midlands
- West Suffolk College, East of England
- New City College, Greater London
- City of Sunderland College, North East
- Wigan and Leigh College, North West
- North Kent College, South East
- Exeter College, South West
- Bedford College, cross-regional
- Dudley College of Technology, West Midlands
- Leeds College of Building, Yorkshire and the Humber
Investing in construciton skills
In March, another skills package worth more than £600m was announced, with the intent to create 60,000 more skilled construction workers by 2029. This package includes resources for apprenticeships, skills bootcamps, and industry placements for school leavers.
Education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “We need skilled workers to deliver the homes, schools and hospitals that communities across the country are crying out for, and today’s announcement underlines our commitment to the next generation of homegrown talent.
“Construction Technical Excellence Colleges will enable us to invest in people and give them the skills they need to break down barriers to opportunity in an industry which is essential to delivering growth through our Plan for Change.”
Radical skills reform
In May, it was announced that a “radical skills revolution” was being implemented to attract more young people to the sector and open up to 120,000 new training positions.
Included amongst the reforms are:
- A 32% increase in the Immigration Skills Charge, potentially delivering 45,000 extra training places for the domestic workforce and reducing reliance on migration for workers in priority sectors.
- Taking funding away from Level 7 (masters-level) apprenticeships, effective January 2026, for those aged over 21 years old. Funding will be redirected to lower levels.
- 13 new Level 2 construction courses for adults in non-devolved areas under the Free Courses for Jobs scheme.
- £14m in adults skills funding for construction to be devolved to local mayors in the next academic year, potentially supporting 5,000 new adult learners.
- £136m invested in Skills Bootcamps in several sectors, potentially funding 40,000 learners.
- £100m over the next four years expanding Construction Skills Bootcamps.
- 10 Technical Excellence Colleges for construction skills opening in September.
At the time, Bridget Phillipson said: “A skilled workforce is the key to steering the economy forward, and today we’re backing the next generation by giving young people more opportunities to learn a trade, earn a wage and achieve and thrive.
“When we invest in skills for young people, we invest in a shared, stronger economic future – creating opportunities as part of our Plan for Change.
“But everyone has a role to play in a thriving economy, and we’re taking our responsibility seriously providing more routes into employment, it’s now the responsibility of young people to take them.”
Julia Pyke, joint-MD at nuclear power project Sizewell C, said: “Today’s announcement is exactly the kind of investment Britain needs to support a new era of large-scale infrastructure, powered by homegrown British skills and jobs.
“This is precisely why we’re building our own Sizewell C post-16 college: to train hundreds of young people in highly skilled jobs in engineering, construction, digital skills, and logistics, all of which are needed to deliver the project. In fact, across our supply chain we will support 70,000 jobs.
“That isn’t just a number – that’s 70,000 careers, families supported, and futures built by British hands. Today’s announcement will help deliver more homegrown talent, essential to meet the skills demands across the entire construction industry.”
Darren Littlewood, chief financial officer at Henry Boot, said: “The Government’s investment in Technical Excellence Colleges is a welcome step towards tackling the long-standing construction skills gap. But to truly future-proof our workforce, training must go beyond meeting immediate labour shortages – it needs to embed low-carbon construction techniques, modern methods of construction, and digital skills from the outset.
“By combining technical excellence with sustainability and community-focused outcomes, we can create a resilient, high-skilled workforce that not only meets housing targets, but delivers projects that stand the test of time for the people and places they serve.”
