The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has revealed it supported more than 30,000 apprentices through grant funding in 2025-26, while its New Entrant Support Team (NEST) helped deliver a 43% rise in apprenticeship starts over the same period.
New figures published by CITB show £120m was distributed through its grants system during the financial year, including £68m in apprenticeship grants. A total of 30,837 apprentices were supported, alongside 10,410 construction employers, the majority of which – 9,258 – were small- and micro-businesses.
The organisation said its funding support remains critical as the industry faces ongoing skills shortages. CITB’s latest Construction Workforce Outlook estimates that an additional 47,000 workers a year will be needed through to 2029 to meet expected demand.
NEST supported 5,913 apprenticeship starts across England, Scotland and Wales during 2025-26, up 43% on the previous year. The team also engaged with 20,579 employers about apprenticeship recruitment requirements, a 47% increase year-on-year.
NEST provides employers with support on recruiting apprentices, accessing grants and funding, and retaining new entrants through mentoring and practical guidance.
Grants support training
Alongside apprenticeship funding, CITB provided £21.7m in qualification grants to support wider workforce training, helping 22,690 learners and 3,088 employers. More than 2,100 of those employers were small- and micro-firms.
The organisation’s Travel to Train grant also provided £8.2m to help cover accommodation and travel costs for apprentices attending block-release training, supporting 3,794 learners and 1,217 employers.
Deb Madden, executive director for customer engagement and operations at CITB, said: “Supporting employers to recruit and retain apprentices is critical to building the skilled workforce the industry needs.
“Without sustained recruitment and training, labour shortages risk project delays and increased costs.”
Construction firm LC Lucas Construction said NEST had helped simplify the apprenticeship process and enabled the business to consider taking on additional apprentices.
