The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has launched the latest iteration of its Home Building Sector Skills Plan.
The updated strategy sets out a roadmap for attracting, retaining and training the workforce needed to deliver the government’s target of building 1.5m new homes during this Parliament.
Initially launched in 2023, the Home Building Sector Skills Plan aims to provide a blueprint for industry to address workforce challenges.
The latest iteration highlights tangible progress across the industry, including more than 15,000 tradespeople who have benefitted from fully-funded brickwork and roofing masterclasses, and more than 200 women who have received guidance on home building careers via the Women into Home Building programme.
In addition, 10 colleges and eight home builders are engaged in the national Partner a College pilot, which aims to improve student employability through greater collaboration between employers and education providers.
Looking ahead, the plan outlines a new mentoring approach for apprentices through ‘Site Ready Solutions’ – a structured mentorship model designed to address the lack of progression for entry-level bricklayers.
The plan also reaffirms HBF’s support for the expansion of NHBC Multi-Skill Training Hubs backed by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).
HBF’s latest skills plan follows the government’s recent announcement that 10 ‘technical excellence colleges’ will be launched across England.
HBF welcomed the announcement, urging government to prioritise long-term investment in skills and training. This includes increased and more flexible funding for further education, ensuring that the growth and skills levy works for all employers, and clearer, more accessible pathways for new entrants and career changers.
Industry is ‘stepping up’
The skills plan also calls on home builders and wider industry stakeholders to play their part by continuing to invest in skills development, engaging with education providers and helping to scale successful initiatives.
Andy George, director of industry attraction and skills at HBF, said: “The home building industry is already stepping up to lead on the skills agenda with many interventions showing results.
“The updated Home Building Sector Skills Plan is a blueprint for the future, providing a long-term approach for attraction, developing and retaining the workforce that we will need to deliver home building targets.
“With our members actively delivering training, reshaping talent pipelines, partnering with colleges and creating new routes into the sector, we have the key foundations in place to support efforts to increase the housing supply.
“To meet the scale of future housing ambitions, we need government and the relevant bodies, such as the Construction Skills Mission Board, to target investment in the right areas and remove the barriers that are holding back employers.”
Much-needed collaboration
Tim Balcon, chief executive at CITB, added: “Right now is the biggest opportunity the construction industry has had at its doorstep for some time, and this is being driven by the government’s commitment to home building. The Home Building Sector Skills Plan will help employers meet current and future skills demands.
“This is the latest step we’re taking to support the industry, having committed £40m to the establishment of Homebuilding Skills Hubs which will train thousands of homebuilding apprentices. Earlier this year, CITB also invested £32m as part of the government’s £600m construction skills package to fund over 40,000 industry placements each year.
“It’s been excellent working collaboratively with HBF, NHBC, and the wider industry to develop the Home Building Sector Skills Plan – this is precisely the sort of collaboration that is needed to meet the government’s home building targets.”
