Thousands of young people across England will benefit from 13,000 new apprenticeship and T Level placement opportunities as part of the government’s plan to transform school buildings and strengthen the UK’s construction and engineering workforce.
Under the upcoming education estates strategy, construction firms working on school rebuilding projects will be required to demonstrate how they are providing high‑quality training opportunities for young people. Crucially, 90% of these placements will be offered within a 30‑mile radius of the school being built, ensuring local communities directly benefit from investment in education infrastructure.
The move supports the Prime Minister’s target to ensure two‑thirds of young people are in education, employment or training by 2028, and gives more young people a direct route into skilled careers such as bricklaying, plumbing, and engineering.
The announcement comes during National Apprenticeship Week, which celebrates the economic and social impact of apprenticeships. Research from the Department for Education shows apprentices will contribute £25 billion to England’s economy over their lifetimes.
Alongside these 13,000 placements, colleges can now bid for a share of almost £300 million in capital funding to expand places for 16–19‑year‑olds and increase construction training provision. An additional £283 million has also been devolved to metro mayors and local leaders to support local growth and skills needs.
The funding aims to reduce waiting lists, address national skills shortages and ensure the construction industry has the workforce it needs to deliver major national projects.
The government’s commitment to long‑term investment through to 2034–35 means construction firms can plan ahead, invest in training and take on more apprentices. Contract lengths will increase from four years to eight, providing greater stability to industry and encouraging innovation and workforce development.
Further Education colleges, supported by a new network of ten Construction Technical Excellence Colleges, will be central to training the next generation of skilled workers. These institutions will link directly with employers to help young people enter the industry and stay in employment once qualified.
The education estates strategy sits alongside the government’s broader Plan for Change, including:
- £20 billion for the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034–35
- Over 500 rebuilt schools and sixth‑form colleges, plus 250 more to be selected
- A £1.5 billion investment to provide learning or employment opportunities for nearly 1 million young people
- Plans to create 50,000 more apprenticeships in the next three years
- Reducing apprenticeship approval times from 18 months to as little as three months
- Pilots to match “near‑miss” apprenticeship applicants with similar opportunities locally
- A new online platform with clearer information on apprenticeships and career outcomes
Jacqui Smith, Skills Minister, said:
“We can’t rebuild schools that are fit for the future unless we have the skilled workers we need to build them.
“Our education estates strategy will set out our vision for school and college buildings to deliver growth and opportunity to their local communities, backed by our plan for a decade of national renewal.
“This government is leading by example, creating incredible opportunities for our young people by championing apprenticeships and T Levels in our school and college building projects.”
The government’s Post‑16 Education and Skills White Paper is also reshaping further education with structured professional development for teachers, higher expectations for English and maths teaching, and the introduction of new V Levels to sit alongside A levels and T Levels.
The government says the new requirements for school building contracts, combined with major investment in FE, apprenticeships and long‑term infrastructure, will ensure that young people can gain the skills needed to support the UK’s growth, productivity and future workforce demands.
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