UK unveils plans for new technical colleges to help cut down on foreign labour
More than 40,000 future builders, bricklayers, electricians, carpenters and plumbers will get cutting-edge skills to get Britain building at state-of-the-art Technical Excellence Colleges unveiled on Tuesday (12 August).
The specialist colleges will be in every region of England to deliver the workforce needed to turbocharge the building of new homes, schools and hospitals, helping to realise every Brit’s dream of owning their own home.
The move will allow the industry to draw on homegrown, British talent in the years to come rather than relying on overseas workers, backing the British working class with well-paid, high-skilled job opportunities.
Backed by a £100 million investment, the colleges will help deliver well-paid jobs for British workers, support the construction sector and deliver the government’s commitment to build 1.5 million homes.
“Not only did the government inherit a severe shortage of housing, but the UK also doesn’t have enough construction workers to start building more homes at the rate required, with figures from the Office for National Statistics showing around 35,000 job vacancies need to be plugged in the sector,” the Department of Education said in an accompanying statement.
“Britain cannot and should not rely on foreign labour, which is why the specialist colleges are central to delivering growth – by working closely with employers, existing colleges and local communities to make sure that the skills people are getting are in-demand and will lead to well-paid work.”
A need for skills
A recent survey found that the percentage of construction firms funding or offering training to their workers has fallen from 57% in 2011 to 49% in 2024.
This coincides with an increasing reliance on construction workers coming to the UK from abroad, preventing our young people from filling the skills needs of our nation and perpetuating the issue of almost one million young people not being in education, employment or training.
The new Construction Technical Excellence Colleges are:
- Derby College Group, East Midlands
- West Suffolk College, East of England
- New City College, Greater London
- City of Sunderland College, North East
- Wigan and Leigh College, North West
- North Kent College, South East
- Exeter College, South West
- Bedford College, cross-regional
- Dudley College of Technology, West Midlands
- Leeds College of Building, Yorkshire and the Humber
These colleges will operate on a ‘hub and spoke’ model, working with local training providers and employers to boost training standards and share expertise.
Currently, fewer than half of FE learners who get a qualification go on to work in a relevant industry, but investment in these colleges will help to ensure learners are ready for work when they complete their qualifications.
To fill skills gaps and break down barriers to opportunity for young people, the government has also launched the Youth Guarantee, ensuring that every 18-21-year-old in England will have access to an apprenticeship, quality training and education opportunities or help to find a job.
