More than 40,000 future builders, bricklayers, electricians, carpenters and plumbers will get cutting edge skills to get Britain building at state-of-the-art Technical Excellence Colleges, the government announced today.

The specialist colleges will be in every region of England to upskill the workforce needed to deliver the government’s pledge to build 1.5 million new homes by 2030.

The government says the move, backed by £100 million of investment, will allow the industry to draw on “homegrown, British talent in the years to come rather than relying on overseas workers, backing the British working class with well-paid, high skilled job opportunities”.

The new specialist colleges announced today will train 40,000 construction learners by 2029. The government hopes they will also break down barriers to opportunity, by supporting young people breaking into the sector at the start of their careers as apprentices, as well as established workers getting new skills for better paid jobs.

The government says today’s announcement builds on the £625 million investment announced in March, which will separately be used to train up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers by 2029. This funding has been allocated for new foundation apprenticeships, skills bootcamps and industry placements for school leavers, all of which will help lay foundations for long term economic growth through the government’s Plan for Change.

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.

“The colleges will soon be online to deliver high quality skills training, announced in the same week that young people across the country get their results in A-levels, T Levels and a range of vocational qualifications.”

A recent survey found that the percentage of construction firms funding or offering training to their workers has fallen from 57% in 2011 to 49% in 2024. This coincides with an increasing reliance on construction workers coming to the UK from abroad, preventing our young people from filling the skills needs of our nation and perpetuating the issue of almost one million young people not being in education, employment or training.

In response, the industry-led Construction Skills Mission Board has pledged to recruit an additional 100,000 construction workers a year by the end of this parliament. This will build on the £625 million government investment announced at Spring Statement, which will also help to provide more flexible apprenticeship options and get out of work young people into the workforce.

David Hughes CBE, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “Today’s announcement is very positive news for people wanting good jobs, for the construction employers looking for skilled people and for the government’s ambitions to build 1.5 million new homes. It represents significant investment and trust in the 10 successful colleges, and the college sector, recognising their crucial role in boosting the country’s construction sector by opening up high quality learning opportunities all over the country.

“We look forward to supporting the TECs as leaders in the construction skills arena, partnering with employers, developing new courses and ensuring that innovation in construction techniques and approaches can be supported across all employers with skills training. We are also keen to help the TECs build their networks with other colleges in their areas.”

Tim Balcon, Chief Executive of the Construction Industry Training Board, added: “It’s wonderful to see the progress being made towards establishing these Technical Excellence Colleges for Construction. They represent a transformative opportunity for people to complete local vocational training, helping to drive regional growth and nurture the next generation of skilled construction workers in local communities.

“This builds brilliantly on the wider £600 million construction skills package we’re delivering in partnership with government, helping create a robust pipeline of talent that will break down barriers to opportunity, delivering good jobs and powering economic growth across the UK.”

The new Construction Technical Excellence Colleges are:

  • 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

These colleges will operate on a ‘hub and spoke’ model, working with local training providers and employers to boost training standards and share expertise.

Currently, fewer than half of FE learners who get a qualification go on to work in a relevant industry, but investment in these colleges will help to ensure learners are ready for work when they complete their qualifications.

To fill skills gaps and break down barriers to opportunity for young people, the government has also launched the Youth Guarantee, ensuring that every 18-21-year-old in England will have access to an apprenticeship, quality training and education opportunities or help to find a job.