THE Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has published its latest Construction Apprenticeships: Opportunities. Challenges. Support report.
The publication draws on a range of research to highlight how important apprenticeships are to employers and industry, and the opportunities that come with increasing apprenticeship starts in Scotland, England, and Wales.
Currently, there are approximately 82,000 apprentices enrolled on construction apprenticeship across Britain, with 33,000 starting in 2023/2024. However, only one in five (21%) construction businesses employ an apprentice, and just one in ten (10%) employ more than one apprentice.
CITB’s latest Construction Skills Network (CSN) forecast, for 2024–28, estimates that 251,500 additional workers will be required to meet construction demand. To help meet the industry’s annual recruitment requirement – 50,300 workers per year – it needs around three times the number of current apprenticeship starts.
To achieve this, CITB’s report states that employers need targeted support and incentives. Additionally, efforts to raise awareness about the benefits of apprenticeships and how to implement them could help overcome some of the barriers businesses face.
CITB has a New Entrant Support Team (NEST) that plays a crucial role in supporting apprenticeships and addressing skills shortages in the construction industry. NEST has also supported over 3,500 new apprenticeship starts between April to December 2024 – more than doubling its impact compared to the previous period.
Last year, CITB finished rolling out its employer networks across the UK. The initiative provides employers with a direct channel to communicate their training needs and enables CITB to be more responsive to industry needs on both local and national levels, helping to address the skills gap and build a stronger future for the industry. Between April – December 2024, 1,920 employers and over 20,000 learners were supported by Employer Networks.
Additionally, CITB’s National Construction Colleges (NCC) have seen their overall achievement rate for apprenticeships increase for the fourth year running, reaching 70% in the financial year 2024/25 to date. This is 16% above the national rate, demonstrating the significant impact CITB’s NCC improvement programme has had.
Businesses also have the added incentive that the increase to employer National Insurance contributions starting on April 6 does not apply to apprentices under the age of 25.
Lucie Wright, head of careers strategy at CITB, said, “Apprenticeships are vital to the future of the construction industry. A hard-working apprentice is a fantastic asset to any business. If industry, government and education providers work together, we can make a big difference to people’s lives by increasing apprenticeships.
“Working in partnership with the government and the National House Building Council, we’re delivering new homebuilding skills hubs to deliver fast-track apprenticeship training, providing learners with training in “real-life” site conditions for an immersive, hands-on experience led by expert trainers.
“This being said, apprenticeships only form part of the training landscape – a relatively small part at that. At CITB, we’re also committed to developing alternative pathways to help more people into the industry and to help upskill existing workers.”
