Alex Ford is the chief executive at CT Skills
When most people think of an apprentice, they tend to think of a young person shadowing somebody in the trade, learning the skills and knowledge you need to work in the construction industry.
So why did only 33,000 people begin a construction apprenticeship in Britain in 2024? This figure comes from the latest Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Apprenticeship Paper published in November, which also states we need three times this many apprentices to meet demand in housing, infrastructure and net-zero retrofitting.
“Apprenticeship Units could offer a practical solution by providing high-quality, bite-sized training that aligns directly to job roles”
The answer isn’t a mystery to anybody who works in the industry. Apprenticeships just don’t work well with construction.
Over 90 per cent of firms are very small companies that work job-to-job with no long-term pipeline. This makes planning, supporting and managing an apprentice very difficult.
Political and funding volatility makes owners lean towards self-employed labour, short-term contracts and agency or CIS workers.
Many companies find it difficult to recruit committed young people and report apprentices leaving as the winter months kick in after spending the summer training them up.
As a result, only one in five construction firms currently employ an apprentice. Worse still, only half of those currently working in the sector are likely to complete their apprenticeship.
But change could be around the corner.
Large construction companies pay a double levy: CITB and the Apprenticeship Levy.
In last week’s budget, the government announced that the Apprenticeship Levy is going to be replaced in April 2026 by a new Skills and Growth Levy.
Shorter qualifications
The purpose behind the new levy is to fund shorter qualifications than apprenticeships, which take an average of 18 to 24 months to complete.
So what might be funded? This hasn’t been published yet, but construction is one of the government’s priority industries, which means there is a strong likelihood that most of the subjects covered in an apprenticeship may be available as shorter qualifications. This could include:
- Level 2 Diploma in Bricklaying or Plastering
- Level 2 Diploma in Property Maintenance or Trowel Occupations
- Level 2 Diploma in Carpentry, Joinery or Fenestration Installation
It may even cover CSCS Labourer or Skills Worker Cards.
Although the full details are yet to be announced, the principle behind them is significant. For the first time, employers will be able to use their apprenticeship levy contributions to fund shorter, modular training that focuses on specific competencies, rather than full apprenticeship qualifications.
Apprenticeship Units could offer a practical solution by providing high-quality, bite-sized training that aligns directly to job roles such as site safety, building compliance, retrofit skills, asset management, digital construction and customer-facing operations.
If Apprenticeship Units are designed well, they would allow employers to respond quickly when skills gaps emerge, support staff to broaden their capabilities and give new entrants a structured way to build confidence before committing to longer programmes.
Crucially, they also offer a pathway for individuals who may not yet be ready for a full apprenticeship but want to take their first step into the industry at a time when more young people than ever are looking at learning a trade due to concerns about automation and artificial intelligence.
The introduction of the Growth and Skills Levy marks an important shift in policy. For years, unspent levy funds have been a visible symbol of a system that has not worked for the construction industry. Allowing businesses access to shorter, targeted training could significantly increase employer engagement and unlock vital investment in skills that support regulatory compliance, digital transformation and staff recruitment or retention.
The skills announcements in this Budget will require careful implementation and clear communication, but they mark a meaningful step towards a more responsive, accessible and employer-driven system.
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