£283 Million Devolved to Mayors to Tackle College Capacity Crisis and Construction Skills Waiting Lists

Government funds major expansion of colleges to train next generation of skilled British workers

• Local colleges set to receive £570 million to expand training facilities and places to train the next generation of skilled workers
• £283 million share going to metro mayors and local leaders, supporting delivery of 60,000 additional construction workers
• Applications open for the next wave of Technical Excellence Colleges specialising in advanced manufacturing, defence, digital and clean energy skills
• Mayors Control Capacity Plans as 67,000 Extra Learners Expected by 2028
• £8.8m Capital Boost for T Level Equipment in High Priority Areas

More builders, coders and engineers of the future will be able to access the life-changing opportunity to gain the skills they will need for their careers, as the government delivers on its investment of more than £283 million to help them meet surging demand for homegrown skilled workers.

£100 million of this funding will go to mayors to boost capacity specifically in construction courses to address growing college waiting lists

Around £100 million of this funding will go to mayors and local leaders to boost capacity specifically in construction courses to address growing college waiting lists across the country and help achieve the government’s goal to train 60,000 additional construction workers to build 1.5 million homes by the end of the Parliament.

Mayors Control Capacity Plans as 67,000 Extra Learners Expected by 2028

Metro mayors and local leaders will be given the power to decide how they use the rest of the funding to boost capacity in colleges ahead of an expected 67,000 extra 16- and 17-year-olds entering post-16 education by 2028. Which is highlighting that DfE are being data led and forward planning, as the ONS estimates an increase of 67,067 16 and 17-year-olds from 2024 to 2028.

This means communities can create training opportunities to rejuvenate local economies and provide British people with pathways to good jobs, driving national renewal and ensuring every young person, no matter their background, is given the chance to succeed.

Applications Open For Colleges to Bid To Be The Next Technical Excellence Colleges (TEC)

It comes as applications open for colleges to bid to become a Technical Excellence College (TEC) in one of the government’s priority Industrial Strategy sectors: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, defence and digital and technologies. 

The 19 TECs, announced in the government’s Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper, add to the 10 already launched for the construction sector, which will train 40,000 construction learners by 2029.

The TECs will break down barriers to opportunity and deliver the gold standard pathways young people deserve, helping the government to reach the Prime Minister’s target for two thirds of young people to be in higher level learning by age 25.

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said:

“Learning a trade opens doors to a brilliant career and a secure future, and trade workers are crucial to our mission to turbocharge economic growth.

“We’re making sure every young person who wants to become a builder, engineer or technician can get that opportunity.

“Our plan for national renewal gives young people the skills they need to get on in life while delivering the homes and infrastructure our country desperately needs.”

£8.8m Capital Boost for T Level Equipment in High Priority Areas

T Level providers are also set to benefit from an £8.8 million capital funding boost for specialist industry-standard equipment for high priority areas, giving students access to the same technology used in industry.

A survey conducted by the Association of Colleges recently found that nearly one in three colleges reported they had had to limit or close apprenticeship courses in construction due to staffing or space challenges, more than any other subject.

It follows the announcement of a major £1.5 billion cash injection to provide learning or employment opportunities for almost one million young people and create 50,000 more apprenticeships for young people over the next three years, ensuring more young people are given the chance to build their skills and get that crucial first step on the career ladder.

More widely, the government’s ambitious Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper set out plans to improve quality of further education, introducing structured professional development for further education teachers and an expectation that colleges deliver at least 100 hours of face-to-face English and maths teaching for those who haven’t passed those GCSEs.

It also announced the creation of V levels as a brand new vocational pathway to sit alongside A levels and T Levels, allowing students to explore different sectors like Engineering or Digital while keeping their options open.

The final allocations for the £283 million funding announced here will be confirmed in the new year. The TECs rollout will take place from April 2026.