The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is investing nearly £150 million into apprenticeship grants between 2023 and 2025 to urge construction firms to pursue them.
CITB claims 31 per cent of construction employers are considering taking on an apprentice, according to the latest Employer Voice survey.
Another survey found with another 48 per cent of employers stated they may take an apprentice on.
The Industry body set up its New Entrant Support Team (NEST) to help employers navigate the recruitment process, as well as access grants and suitable training, when and where needed.
NEST was launched in 2023, with CITB claiming to have helped more than 2,318 people start an apprenticeship that year through it.
This follows a report by CITB in May revealed that 251,000 extra construction workers are required by 2028 to meet demand, with 31 percent of construction employers finding suitably skilled staff remains their key challenge.
In July, prime minister Keir Starmer launched Skills England aimed at addressing the ‘broken and fragmented’ skills and training system.
The new government organisation falls in line with Labour’s manifesto pledge to end the reliance on overseas workers by bringing in workforce and training plans for sectors including construction.
CITB welcomed the Labour Government placing construction industry skills “at the heart of driving economic growth” which the CITB believes Skills England will play an important role in.
In total, CITB has supported more than 29,000 apprentices during their courses in 2023.
Since 2020, CITB has issued more than 72,000 apprenticeship grants for individual learners and delivered 5,700 apprenticeship courses at the National Construction Colleges.
During the same period, more than 26,000 apprenticeship grants were awarded to construction employers.
Tim Balcon, chief executive of CITB, said: “A strong apprenticeship pipeline is vital for SME employers and a healthy construction industry.
“Over two-thirds of apprenticeship starts in the construction industry are employed by companies of fewer than 50 employees.
“We’re seeing strong demand for our apprenticeship and qualification grants, and we want to keep up the momentum.
“There are over 100 different construction apprenticeship roles that lead to careers in construction, and we encourage employers and people considering joining the industry to consider what apprenticeship role could work for them.
“As well as continuing to drive up apprenticeship start numbers, we also need to improve retention and attract apprentices to pursue a career in construction.
“Currently some 60 per cent of further education learners on construction courses do not end up in the industry – we need to tackle this issue with effective recruitment and training while promoting the benefits of joining the industry.”
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