UK government commits £600m to train over 60,000 construction workers

The government has announced that up to 60,000 more engineers, brickies, sparkies and chippies are to be trained by 2029 to deliver its housing ambitions.

In her Budget speech last autumn, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the government is committed to building 1.5 million “safe and decent” homes over the next five years.

Ahead of the Spring Statement, she has announced £600m worth of investment to train up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers.

Reeves said: “We are determined to get Britain building again – that’s why we are taking on the blockers to build 1.5 million new homes and rebuild our roads, rail and energy infrastructure.”

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there is a significant shortage of those with the skills needed to construct new housing including engineers, brickies, sparkies and chippies.

The latest ONS figures show that there are over 35,000 job vacancies, and employers report that over half of vacancies cannot be filled due to a lack...