Preet Kaur Gill MP welcomes £100m construction skills training investment

Preet Kaur Gill MP has welcomed the Government's announcement of a £100 million investment in construction skills training, which will create new opportunities for young people and adult learners across the West Midlands including Edgbaston.

The investment will see ten Further Education colleges across England become

Construction Technical

Excellence Colleges (CTECs), including the nearby Dudley College of Technology, creating a national network that will train over 40,000 future builders, bricklayers, electricians, carpenters, and plumbers by 2029.

The announcement forms a key part of Labour's Plan for Change and the commitment to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament, addressing both the housing crisis and skills shortages that have plagued the construction industry.

Local and Regional Benefits

The selection of Dudley College of Technology as a Construction Technical Excellence College will bring significant benefits to residents across the West Midlands, including Edgbaston. The college will operate as a regional hub of excellence, working with other Further Education providers through a 'hub and spoke' model to raise standards and expand capacity across the area.

This means that young people and adult learners from Edgbaston will be able to access enhanced construction training opportunities, with clear pathways into well-paid careers in a growing industry. The proximity of the facility to Edgbaston makes it an accessible option for local residents looking to retrain or start careers in construction trades.

Preet Kaur Gill MP said: "This is fantastic news for our region and for young people in Edgbaston who are looking for opportunities to build careers in skilled trades. The construction industry is crying out for workers, and this investment will help meet that demand whilst providing excellent career prospects for our residents."

Addressing the Housing and Skills Crisis

The Government inherited the most acute housing crisis in living memory, with 150,000 children without a secure home and 1.3 million households stuck waiting for social housing. After more than a decade of Conservative failure on housing policy, Labour is taking decisive action to address both the shortage of homes and the shortage of skilled workers needed to build them.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that around 35,000 job vacancies need to be filled in the construction sector to build homes at the rate required. The new Technical Excellence Colleges will help plug this gap by training homegrown talent and reducing reliance on overseas workers.

Broader Skills Investment

With Bridget Phillipson MP

The £100 million investment in Technical Excellence Colleges is part of a wider commitment to skills reform, which also includes:

● £14 million of adult skills funding for construction to be devolved to regional mayors

● £136 million for Skills Bootcamps across priority sectors in 2025-26

● £100 million over 4 years to expand Construction Skills Bootcamps

● A record-breaking £3 billion apprenticeships budget

Preet Kaur Gill MP added: "Skills will power this mission-driven government and our Plan for Change. By investing in construction training, we're not just building the homes our communities desperately need - we're building careers and creating pathways for people to get on in life."

Looking Ahead

The Construction Technical Excellence Colleges will align with Local Skills Improvement Plans and local growth strategies to ensure training meets employer demand. Each college will work with the Department for Education, mayoral strategic authorities, and industry partners to boost skills provision, deliver high-quality teaching, and create clear pathways into construction jobs or higher-level study.

For residents in Edgbaston interested in construction careers, this investment represents a significant opportunity to access world-class training close to home and enter a sector with strong job prospects and good wages.

The announcement demonstrates Labour's commitment to backing young people, investing in skills, and creating the workforce needed to deliver the homes, schools, and hospitals that communities across the country are crying out for.