£100 million plan to build skills, not just homes

A significant investment is set to “shake up” the UK’s house-building skills shortage and accelerate the delivery of new homes across the country.

The National House Building Council (NHBC) has announced a £100 million investment in 12 multi-skills training hubs aimed at producing 3,000 site-ready tradespeople annually, ready to contribute to the Government’s ambitious target of 1.5 million new homes in the next five years.

Roger Morton, director of change and training hubs at NHBC, said: “We’re not just training apprentices, we’re shaping the future of UK house building. With 25 years as an officer in the Royal Engineers, I’m driven by navigating challenges and improving quality.

“NHBC’s multi-skills hubs will shake up house-building training, tackling the skills shortage head-on and making a real difference to the future of the industry.

“Our multi-skills hubs will have a significant impact, producing skilled tradespeople faster and who are ready to hit the ground running from day one.

“Our mission is to make sure every apprentice meets NHBC’s high standards, guaranteeing quality and delivering the homes the UK urgently needs, when and where they’re needed.”

The national network of training hubs will focus on critical skills such as bricklaying, groundwork and site carpentry, with the flexibility to adapt to local housing needs and evolving regulations.

Unlike traditional training routes, NHBC’s fast-track programme immerses apprentices in real-site conditions from day one, enabling them to complete their training in just 14 to 18 months – nearly twice as fast as standard programmes – with many graduates achieving distinctions. 

With support from the Apprenticeship Levy and additional grants, NHBC’s initiative not only provides a timely solution to the projected need for over 250,000 new construction workers by 2028, but also offers builders and contractors a practical way to grow their skilled workforce.

Alice Clay, 19, from Patrington, Hull and a brickwork apprentice trained by NHBC, added: “The NHBC multi-skills training hubs are going to make a real difference. It’s really appealing to apprentices and builders because these hubs will be training skilled tradespeople faster than ever, giving a huge boost to getting more quality homes built across the UK.

“I was the first woman to pass my NHBC bricklaying apprenticeship and I achieved a distinction. I knew I wanted a practical job and within weeks of joining the NHBC training programme.

“There’s a lot to learn, but training at an NHBC hub meant I was working in real-site conditions from day one. I’d learn at the hub and then regularly put my new skills and knowledge into practice out on site.”

Her comments were echoed by Ben Thorburn, 23, a bricklaying apprentice from Histon, Cambridgeshire, with GSQ Brickwork at the NHBC training hub in Cambridge, who added: “NHBC’s new multi-skills hubs are a fantastic initiative. They’re going to transform how the UK trains its house-building workforce.

“Training with NHBC means I’m gaining the best industry recognised qualification quickly. It’s only going to take me 15 months to complete my apprenticeship. That’s half the time of other Further Education options.

“That’s crucial when you have financial responsibilities like I do. I wouldn’t have been able to afford the time otherwise. 

“NHBC’s training hubs also have a big appeal for the subcontractor I work for because I’m on site faster and fully qualified to industry-leading standards. My company can build a team of skilled tradespeople, quickly.

“Alongside the support of the Apprenticeship Levy builders can get, the new hubs mean it’s a win-win for everyone.”

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