West Yorkshire Authority pledges £1m to boost construction industry skills

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) will invest £1m into training to meet the needs of the local construction industry.

The funding will be allocated to the Leeds College of Building and is from the Combined Authority’s Adult Education Budget (AEB).

Leeds College of Building is the only further education college in the UK which specialises in the construction industry. It has two campuses, the North Street campus, and the South Bank campus in Hunslet.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “We’re now seeing the fantastic benefits of devolution and how we can strategically use funding to benefit our local economy and the people who live here.

“As the economy re-opens, the construction industry is recovering strongly, with more than 70,000 people in West Yorkshire alone, already working in construction. However, many employers are still struggling to recruit people with the right skills.”

Derek Whitehead, principal & CEO of Leeds College of Building, said: “The capital investment from WYCA towards our Phase two South Bank campus was a welcomed significant contribution to further the College’s strategy to help meet the growing construction education and training needs of students and employers.

“Adults, 16 to 18 year olds, apprentices and Higher Education students make up the 6,000 students that attend the College each year. I am pleased that Leeds College of Building, together with excellent support from WYCA and employers, are helping to meet the needs of students and industry.”

AEB funding will be used to reportedly make learning more inclusive and increase the supply of skills to support key sectors, improve West Yorkshire’s resilience by identifying and delivering the skills needed for the future, and benefit the 380,000 people who have low or no qualifications in the region.