From national construction support to local housing success stories, apprenticeships are driving talent pipelines and tackling persistent workforce gaps
National Apprenticeship Week offers a moment of celebration, but it’s also a time to reflect on the serious challenges the construction industry – and by extension the housing sector – face. After all, it takes place against a stark backdrop.
The UK construction industry needs around 47,000 additional workers every year to 2029 to meet projected demand. For housing providers balancing development ambitions, retrofit targets and compliance pressures, the skills gap is yet another headache.
New figures from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) offer cautious optimism, however. Between April and December 2025, the organisation’s New Entrant Support Team (NEST) supported 4,572 apprenticeship starts – exceeding its full-year 2025–26 target with three months still remaining. That represents a 30% increase on the same period the previous year, equating to 1,040 additional starts.
Engagement with employers has also surged. In the same period, 8,054 employers worked with NEST – up 40% year-on-year. Of the 9,251 employers supported overall between April and December 2025, 8,170 were small and micro businesses, underlining the importance of targeted support to the sector’s fragmented supply chain.
Financial backing has followed. CITB provided £53.5m in apprenticeship grants during the nine-month period – up from £50.7m the previous year – supporting 25,550 distinct learners. That figure sits 11% above initial targets and marks a five per cent increase on 2024–25.
For housing professionals, these are not abstract statistics. They represent the strengthening of a labour pipeline on which development programmes, planned maintenance and net zero retrofit all depend.
Deb Madden, CITB’s executive director of customer engagement and operations, said: “The industry needs a steady and strong flow of talent to deliver critical infrastructure and support the government to reach its goal of building millions of new homes.”
She described NEST as fundamental to strengthening the workforce, offering hands-on support to employers navigating recruitment, training and retention. In a sector where smaller contractors often lack dedicated HR capacity, that practical intervention can make the difference between hiring an apprentice and postponing the decision.
If NEST represents the national infrastructure behind apprenticeship growth, activity on the ground during National Apprenticeship Week demonstrates how that support translates into place-based delivery.
Closing trade gaps
In South Wales, CITB has partnered with the National Construction College, Bridgend College and the National Federation of Roofing Contractors to launch the country’s first Roof, Slating and Tiling Apprenticeship.
The initiative addresses a specific bottleneck. Across the UK, an additional 630 roofers are needed by 2029, including at least 50 in Wales. More broadly, Wales requires 1,720 extra construction workers annually to meet projected demand.
Until now, Welsh learners pursuing specialist roofing qualifications have often had to travel to the Midlands. The new pathway removes that barrier. Nine learners are already due to begin in March 2026, with further cohorts planned from September. Training combines classroom learning with practical instruction delivered by a CITB roofing tutor.
Julia Stevens, CITB engagement director for Wales, described the programme as the culmination of three years of collaboration, focused on ensuring provision is sustainable and aligned to high-demand skill sets across public and private sector work.
Jayne Bryant MS, the Welsh government’s cabinet secretary for housing and local government, called the launch a milestone. She noted that Wales has now exceeded its target of delivering 100,000 apprenticeship opportunities this Senedd term, reinforcing the political commitment underpinning workforce reform.
While employers and training providers celebrate growth, National Apprenticeship Week has also prompted scrutiny of quality and conditions.
Unite has used the week to launch an apprenticeship charter, lobbying employers to sign up to minimum standards covering pay, employment rights, health and safety, progression and representation.
General secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite represents thousands of young people in apprenticeships and is totally focused on defending and improving their jobs, pay and conditions. Unite is lobbying employers up and down the county to sign up to our charter to ensure fair wages and treatment are baked into their apprenticeships.
“Apprenticeships should be a career pathway to skilled and secure work. While many employers offer this, the government needs to do more to stop bad bosses using apprenticeships as a source of cheap labour with training and contracts that go nowhere.”
Local investment, long-term impact
Across the country, housing associations are using National Apprenticeship Week to highlight their own commitments to early careers.
First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) says it remains on track to double its apprentice numbers from 11 to 22 within two years. Currently employing 15 apprentices, the association has partnered with Oldham College to deliver opportunities spanning housing, trades, business administration and digital roles.
Director of people Richard Sandiford emphasised that apprenticeships are enabling local people to train in much-needed trades while filling vacancies within the organisation. Many former apprentices have progressed into permanent roles – a tangible demonstration of workforce planning in action.
For 19-year-old apprentice joiner Alisha Carr, the experience is already transformative. Studying for an NVQ Level 2 in Carpentry and Joinery, she is undertaking her first full kitchen fit and developing multi-trade skills. Her journey illustrates how vocational routes can quickly translate into practical competence within housing maintenance teams.
Meanwhile, Torus marked the week with its own Apprenticeship Awards, recognising standout performers across a cohort of more than 100 apprentices. Sixty four are based within HMS, its in-house construction and maintenance contractor, which places particular emphasis on encouraging more women into building roles.
Nichola Norton won the Torus Apprentice of the Year award after consistently exceeding expectations, embracing challenges and displaying resilience when balancing studies with a demanding project officer role.
Isobel Dowd was named HMS Apprentice of the Year, having shown remarkable dedication to understanding her role by visiting building sites to gain extra industry insight. And Charlotte Stenhouse won the Rising Star Award for her dedication to self-development.
People director Debbie Attwood said: “Across our organisation we are privileged to have over 100 apprentices, alongside more than 140 colleagues who are undertaking further education.
“Their energy, curiosity and commitment bring fresh ideas and strengthen the communities we are part of. The impact they make reaches far beyond their daily roles. Being able to celebrate their success is not only an honour, it is a reminder of the bright future we are building together.”
The Guinness Partnership has similarly highlighted both new and existing talent. Ninety-five apprentices currently work across the organisation in roles ranging from sustainability and accountancy to horticulture and trades. Over the past 12 months, 37 employees have completed apprenticeships, while 61 are using the Apprenticeship Levy to upskill in current roles.
For Mansfield-based independent living advisor apprentice Debra Tetley, studying towards a CIH Level 3 qualification while supporting residents demonstrates how apprenticeships extend beyond construction trades into housing management and compliance.
Livv Housing Group’s celebration of Eve Hughes’ journey from apprentice to head of facilities management and environmental services provides an illustration of long-term impact. Joining as a project management apprentice in 2016, Hughes progressed through compliance and contract management roles before stepping into a senior leadership position in December 2025.
There’s a further point to her story – apprenticeships do not merely fill entry-level gaps; they cultivate future leaders.
Helen Ward, Livv’s executive director of resources, said: “Eve’s journey … is truly inspiring. She is a real shining example of how, with hard work, drive and the right support, our apprenticeship programmes can help not just build skills but future leaders. She’s a credit to herself and the business, and a real role model for our current apprentices and young people coming through the ranks.”
From celebration to strategy
National Apprenticeship Week inevitably carries a celebratory tone. Yet beneath the awards ceremonies and social media campaigns lies a structural imperative.
Housing providers face conflicting pressures – building safety compliance, decarbonisation, regeneration, and ambitious development targets. Each relies on a skilled, stable workforce. An ageing demographic profile and competition from infrastructure and energy projects intensify the challenge.
CITB’s latest data suggests momentum is building. Increased apprenticeship starts, stronger employer engagement and expanded grant funding point to a sector investing in its future.
But sustaining that momentum will require continued collaboration – between training bodies, colleges, contractors, unions and housing associations themselves. It will demand fair standards that protect apprentices and encourage retention. And it will depend on aligning provision with the specific technical demands of modern housing – from newbuild construction to retrofit, facilities management and digital services.
As the sector strives to close its skills gap, National Apprenticeship Week serves a reminder that building homes begins with building people.
Main image credit: CITB
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