A new agreement signed by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Department for Work and Pensions is tipped to enable thousands of people to benefit from training and career opportunities in the construction sector.
Roles ranging from project managers to bricklayers will be made available to jobseekers, with Jobcentres working more closely with the construction industry to offer work experience and tailored placements.
The agreement, signed at the newly-launched Green Plant Academy at the Earls Court Skills Centre, has been described as a major step in the UK Government’s drive to get Britain building and get Britain working as part of its Plan for Change.
More than 40,000 industry placements will be funded through a further £100 million from the government, alongside a £32 million contribution from the CITB.
It comes as the deputy PM Angela Rayner co-chaired the first Construction Skills Mission Board earlier this week with Mark Reynolds, co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council. Alongside work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall, skills minister Baroness Jacqui Smith, minister for industry Sarah Jones, and several CEOs and sector leaders – including CITB CEO Tim Balcon – the Mission Board launched a commitment to recruit 100,000 more construction workers per year by the end of the parliament.
Tim Balcon, CITB CEO, said, “Opportunities in construction are for everybody, whatever their background. By working together, we can widen the talent pool, bring in more diverse voices, and encourage more people to consider a career in construction.
“Every year, over 100,000 people receive construction training. I want many more of them to forge lasting careers in the sector. This is why the partnership with DWP is so vital, as it helps ensure individuals are not just trained but truly prepared for careers in construction.”
