CTEC network targets construction skills gap

A new regional training network aims to tackle growing construction skills shortages by creating clearer pathways into the industry across Yorkshire and the Humber.

More than 160 leaders from education, construction and local government gathered at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds to launch plans for the region’s Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC) network.

Leeds College of Building (LCB), one of the country’s first further education institutions to receive CTEC status, will act as the regional hub alongside 22 college partners.

The network will share expertise and resources, raise teaching standards and strengthen links between employers and education providers.

Its plans will focus on widening access to construction careers, particularly among underrepresented groups, while helping existing workers develop new skills.

Training will target high-demand trades including bricklaying, carpentry, roofing and electrical work, supporting housing, infrastructure, retrofit and net-zero projects.

Nikki Davis, chief executive and principal of LCB, said: “After a year in collaborative development, we were delighted to bring together our network of employers, fellow training providers, strategic authorities, national partners, and government representatives to share how the CTEC model will develop the vital construction workforce that our region urgently needs.

“By working closely with other colleges and independent training providers, we can now start to fill crucial workforce skills gaps – including in green skills, digitisation, and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) – using cutting-edge specialist curricula and high-quality teaching practices.”

The Construction Industry Training Board estimates the UK needs more than 41,000 additional construction workers annually, equivalent to around 206,000 over five years.

LCB is also renovating a newly acquired 5000sq metre building next to its North Street Campus.

The Melbourne Street site will increase the college’s estate by a third and support the CTEC ambition to train up to 40,000 more people in high-demand construction trades by 2029.

Rob Holmes, vice principal curriculum, quality and innovation and CTEC Lead at LCB, added: “This is an exciting phase of the CTEC delivery roll-out. 

“By working together, we will create thousands more pathways into skilled employment and drive regional economic growth. 

“This creative collaboration supports Department for Education priorities, positions Yorkshire and the Humber at the forefront of sustainable further education, and reinforces the region's ambition to lead the transition to a low-carbon future.”

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