Leeds College of Building has launched a regional network of 22 colleges aimed at expanding training opportunities and addressing skills shortages across the construction sector.
The Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC) network was officially launched at an event at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, attended by more than 160 representatives from construction, education and local government.
LCB is the regional CTEC ‘hub’, working with its network of 22 ‘spoke’ colleges, employers, regional authorities and other training providers to share expertise and resources and expand access to construction training.
The network will focus on areas where demand for skilled workers is particularly high, including bricklaying, carpentry, roofing and electrical work. It will also support the development of skills in areas such as green technologies, digital construction and modern methods of construction (MMC).
The initiative comes as the industry faces a significant workforce challenge. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimates that more than 41,000 additional workers will be needed each year across the UK – around 206,000 over five years – to meet baseline construction demand.
The CTEC network aims to help address this gap by widening access to training, creating more routes into construction for young people and underrepresented groups, and supporting existing workers to develop new skills and progress their careers.
Workforce skills gaps
Nikki Davis, CEO and principal of Leeds College of Building, said the network would help address “vital” workforce skills gaps across the region.
“By working closely with other colleges and independent training providers, we can now start to fill crucial workforce skills gaps – including in green skills, digitisation and modern methods of construction – using cutting-edge specialist curricula and high-quality teaching practices,” she said.
Rob Holmes, vice-principal curriculum, quality and innovation and CTEC lead at LCB, said the collaboration would create “thousands more pathways into skilled employment” and support regional economic growth.
LCB has also begun work on a newly acquired 5,000 sq m building on Melbourne Street in Leeds, next to its North Street campus. The development will increase the college’s estate by around a third.
The facility forms part of LCB’s plans to support the CTEC network’s ambition to train up to 40,000 additional people in high-demand construction trades by 2029.
The network is intended to support workforce requirements arising from major infrastructure and housing projects, as well as retrofit and the transition to net zero across Yorkshire and the Humber.
