£22m fund launched to tackle construction skills shortage - EU Skills

£22m fund launched to tackle construction skills shortage

Skills Minister Anne Milton has launched the £22 million Construction Skills Fund to help tackle the skills shortage in construction.

£22m fund launched to tackle construction skills shortage

The Fund, which follows consultation with the Department for Education (DfE) and the Government, is earmarked to create close to 160,000 new roles in construction by 2023.

In bringing training to construction sites, the Fund will allow learners to develop and apply their knowledge in environments similar to their eventual workplaces, to help them move into the world of work more easily.

The Fund aims to meet the requirements of both employers and potential new joiners to construction, especially adult learners. The 18-month scheme is funded by the DfE and will be administered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

Federations, training groups and employers are among the interested bodies that the CITB is encouraging to submit expressions of interest – which can be sent from current and prospective on-site learning hubs. Access to live construction projects is essential to qualify and the funding will only support on-site training provision.

Partnership working should be a consideration in expressions of interest – with infrastructure projects being among its foci. This process should identify how organisations can collaborate to make the training hubs happen. CITB will work with interested parties to prepare them for the application process which is set to open soon.

The Construction Skills Fund is now open for submissions and successful bids will be awarded in autumn. Find out more here.