Construction: Labour Turnover
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the steps her Department is taking to (a) address the ageing construction workforce and (b) prevent shortages of skilled workers over the next decade.
Answered by Andrew Western
The Government announced a £625 million Construction Skills Package (CSP) to support the training of up to 60,000 additional skilled construction workers by 2029. The package will help address skills shortages in the construction industry by increasing training capacity, strengthening the workforce pipeline and improving employer engagement in skills development.
This package includes:
- Providing up to 10,000 Foundation Apprenticeships to bridge the gap between education and employment.
- Funding up to 35,000 Skills Bootcamps to attract career changers and upskill existing workers.
- Funding up to 40,000 industry placements giving learners the hands-on experience needed to confidently enter employment.
- 10 Construction Technical Excellence Colleges (CTECs) to expand provision and align training with local labour market demand.
- Raising training quality through the FE Teacher Industry Exchange scheme.
While the package is not specifically targeted at workforce ageing, it will help mitigate workforce pressures by increasing the flow of new entrants into the sector and supporting their progression into skilled construction careers.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →