£75 Million Skills Investment to Tackle Construction Worker Shortage

Major new funding aims to train over 12,000 people for construction careers across the West Midlands.

A new £75 million skills package has been announced by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to address the ongoing shortage of construction workers across the region.

The investment will fund training for more than 12,000 people over the next three years, creating new routes into skilled trades and technical roles within the construction sector. It will support both new entrants and existing workers looking to upskill, with training focused on areas such as housebuilding, retrofitting, and green construction.

The programme is designed to meet local demand from employers while giving residents access to high-quality training and career opportunities. It will also strengthen collaboration between training providers, colleges, and major infrastructure projects to ensure that skills development directly aligns with regional growth.

West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, said the funding will “help ensure local people have the skills needed to take advantage of the thousands of new jobs being created across our region.”

The investment forms part of the WMCA’s wider plans to boost economic growth and social mobility through targeted training and employment support. It also complements national efforts to grow the construction workforce and build a more sustainable future.

At Youthbuild UK, we welcome this focus on practical, employer-led training. It’s a vital step towards bridging the gap between young people seeking opportunities and industries facing critical labour shortages. Initiatives like this highlight the importance of investing in young people’s potential to meet the UK’s construction and housing needs.