Homebuilding Skills Hubs to Create 5000 More Construction Apprentices

AN ADDITIONAL 5,000 more construction apprenticeship places will be made available each year, the government says.

Thirty-two new Homebuilding Skills Hubs will deliver fast-track skills training to apprentices to boost housebuilding.

The purpose-built hubs will provide a realistic working environment for training for trades including roofers, bricklayers, plasterers, scaffolders, electricians, carpenters and more.

The government is working with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the National House-Building Council (NHBC) to launch them.

Also working with Skills England areas that need construction workers the most will be identified. Doing so aims to ensure employers have access to high quality apprenticeship training, kickstarting growth and creating jobs.

The fast-track apprenticeships offered by the hubs can be completed in 12-18 months, up to half the time of a traditional 24-30-month construction apprenticeship.

Homebuilding Skills Hubs

Roger Morton, Director of Business Change and NHBC’s Training Hubs, commented: “Our £100 million investment in a national network of 12 NHBC Multi-Skills Training Hubs will train quality apprentices and help shape the future of UK house building. Our expert facilities will shake-up the industry, starting with training in critical areas including bricklaying, groundwork and site carpentry.

“NHBC’s hubs are designed to be flexible, adapting to local housing needs and regulatory changes. Our intensive training will produce skilled tradespeople faster, equipping them to hit the ground running from day one. At NHBC, our mission is to ensure every apprentice meets our high standards, delivering quality new homes the UK urgently needs.

“With funding support through the Apprenticeship Levy and generous grants, I’d say to builders and contractors, there’s never been a better time to invest in apprentices. It’s an opportunity to grow your workforce while offering talented people a rewarding and well-paid career in this essential industry.”

Tim Balcon, CITB CEO

Promoted as the most efficient way to train people in the skills the housebuilding sector will need, Tim Balcon, Chief Executive of CITB, said: “It is clear that we need to rethink how we train our workforce and be much more agile in our approach.

“This investment to launch 32 Homebuilding Skills Hubs will help meet the homebuilding targets while flattening peaks in demand for construction skills on homebuilding across the country.”

Up to 32 training hubs will be set up across the country in the areas with the greatest homebuilding need, with all hubs scheduled to have launched by 2028.

INDUSTRY COMMENT

Dr David Crosthwaite, BCIS Chief Economist

Dr David Crosthwaite, Chief Economist at BCIS, said: “On the face of it, the increase in available construction apprenticeships seems like a positive move, although it will take some time to make a material difference on-site.

“Indeed, halving the time taken to become “fully qualified” may reduce the dropout rate, which is particularly high in construction apprenticeships.

“However, one has to ask, how can what once took twice as long, now be delivered in half-the time? Are there going to be quality issues as a result of shortening the training period?

“In terms of the numbers, 5,000 apprenticeships a year will not be enough to cover those expected to retire/leave the industry annually, so at best, this is not adding additional workers to an industry that has seen close to 350,000 leave the sector over the last five years.

“In my opinion, this initiative will not have a major impact on the realisation of 1.5 million new homes over the next five years, as promised by the government.”

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