Construction News Update

Our response to the news that the Chancellor is to invest £600m into construction training, including new technical excellence colleges, skills bootcamps and financial incentives for foundation apprenticeships.

28 March 2025

At a time of considerable fiscal pressure, we welcome this vital commitment to skills, something we know is an investment in the future and not a cost.

Skills development has a critical role to play in the government’s plans to boost employment and promote national growth – as a means of removing obstacles to work, through increasing individual wellbeing and productivity. Skills lead to jobs and opportunity, they can and do change lives.

We know that industries need skills to survive and the focus on construction is key, with a skills pipeline vital to build, retrofit homes and support infrastructure across the country. Addressing this skills gap with a tailored approach is a key piece of the puzzle in achieving success and we stand ready to play our part to widen access to skills across the country.

Through our impact research we know that City & Guilds courses, with our partners, have contributed £15.3 billion to society in social and economic returns over the last year, with 76% of learners progressing into further learning on employment, showing just how critical a role skills play in economic growth. This announcement gives us a chance to see that boost across the UK.

As a partner delivering skills bootcamps we were pleased to see the investment in this training pathway across local authorities. With over 90% of learners in the rail industry progressing to jobs following a bootcamp, we know these courses provide are an important entry point and can support wider local economic growth.

With the Spring Statement fast approaching we look forward to seeing more details emerge and welcome the signal this sends for skills as a key lever for change.

– Kirstie Donnelly MBE, CEO of City & Guilds