Yorkshire and Humber Launch Regional Network to Address Construction Skills Shortage
Last week, leaders from Yorkshire and the Humber convened at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds to unveil comprehensive plans targeting the region’s escalating shortage of skilled construction workers.
The event, hosted by Leeds College of Building (LCB), attracted over 160 participants from education, construction, and local government sectors. Central to the discussions was the introduction of the Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC) network, designed to develop the skilled workforce urgently required by the industry.
Leeds College of Building stands as one of the first further education institutions nationally to receive CTEC designation, a government-funded specialist provider status aimed at combating critical construction skills deficits. Operating through a ‘hub and spoke’ framework, LCB serves as the regional hub for Yorkshire and the Humber, collaborating with local employers, regional authorities, and other training providers to enhance teaching standards, share resources, and broaden access to quality construction education.
Following a year of strategic planning, LCB alongside its 22 partner colleges—the ‘spokes’—presented the regional delivery plans for the CTEC network. The initiative focuses on dismantling barriers and engaging underrepresented groups to encourage more young people to pursue construction careers, while also supporting current workers in acquiring new skills and advancing professionally.
The network prioritises training in high-demand trades such as bricklaying, carpentry, roofing, and electrical work, which are essential for supporting major infrastructure, housing, retrofit, and Net Zero projects throughout the region.
The scale of the skills gap is significant. According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the UK requires over 41,000 additional construction workers annually—totaling approximately 206,000 over five years—to meet baseline industry demands. This need encompasses replacing an ageing workforce and addressing the reluctance of workers to travel long distances.
Nikki Davis, CEO and Principal of Leeds College of Building, commented: “After a year in collaborative development, we were delighted to bring together our network of employers, fellow training providers, strategic authorities, national partners, and government representatives to share how the CTEC model will develop the vital construction workforce that our region urgently needs.
“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 (MMC)—using cutting-edge specialist curricula and high-quality teaching practices.”
Rob Holmes, Vice Principal Curriculum, Quality and Innovation and CTEC Lead at Leeds College of Building, added: “This is an exciting phase of the CTEC delivery roll-out. By working together, we will create thousands more pathways into skilled employment and drive regional economic growth.
“This creative collaboration supports Department for Education priorities, positions Yorkshire and the Humber at the forefront of sustainable further education, and reinforces the region’s ambition to lead the transition to a low-carbon future.”
In support of the CTEC mission, LCB has commenced renovations on a newly acquired 5,000 m2 building adjacent to its North Street Campus on Melbourne Street in Leeds. This expansion increases the college’s estate by one third and aims to facilitate training for up to 40,000 additional individuals in high-demand construction trades by 2029.
