With the UK’s construction sector facing a critical skills shortage, securing the future workforce has never been more urgent. From government investment to grassroots collaboration, solutions are beginning to take shape – but action is needed now.
At the forefront of this effort is Leeds College of Building – recently supported by a donation of 20,000 bricks from ACS – helping to equip the next generation of skilled professionals to deliver the homes, infrastructure and places Yorkshire so urgently needs.
In this latest edition of ACS Insights, Nikki Davis, CEO & Principal at Leeds College of Building, shares her perspective on the path forward. The UK – and Yorkshire in particular – is facing a severe skills shortage. That’s why, at Leeds College of Building, we’ve made it our mission to train the talented people the construction sector so desperately needs.
Shaping the workforce of today and the future
As the UK’s only specialist further education college dedicated entirely to construction and the built environment, we operate across two campuses in Leeds and deliver high-quality, hands-on training tailored to real industry needs. Since the 1960s, we’ve helped thousands of learners build successful careers, and we remain committed to shaping a workforce ready to meet the challenges of today – and the future.
From 16-year-old school leavers to adults looking to retrain or upskill, our courses support learners at every stage. The construction industry contributes around 8% of national output and employs over 2.7 million people – a vital sector not just for economic growth but for the delivery of homes, infrastructure, and the repair and maintenance of the places we live and work.
A stark reality
It’s encouraging to see the government also stepping up, with a £600 million package recently announced to train up to 60,000 new construction workers. Without this kind of investment, essential national priorities – from building 1.5 million new homes to rolling out mass transit and retrofitting existing buildings – would be at serious risk.
The reality is stark: over a third of the current construction workforce is over 50, and there are more than 35,000 unfilled vacancies across the industry – the highest vacancy rate of any sector. This is a crisis not just of capacity but of capability, and the demand is only going to grow.
Retrofitting existing homes, for example, is crucial to achieve Net Zero, and it is no exaggeration to say housebuilding needs to increase at a pace and scale not seen since the Second World War. We can only achieve these targets with a highly skilled workforce, encompassing adults with graduate and post-graduate level construction qualifications.
Committing to the future of the industry
Further education colleges like ours are absolutely critical in bridging this gap. Each year we train around 5,500 students, nearly 3,000 of whom are apprentices from as far away as Cornwall to Newcastle. We are doing all we can – with limited resources – to deliver industry-aligned training at pace and scale. But we cannot do it alone. We urgently need long-term investment, strategic coordination, and close partnerships across the sector to avoid a dangerous skills bottleneck.
After years of campaigning, it’s heartening to see national recognition of the issue. We’re optimistic that the latest funding announcements will start to turn the tide.
We are especially grateful to organisations like ACS, whose recent donation of bricks is more than just a gesture – it’s a sign of real commitment to the future of the industry. By coming together, we align our curriculum with industry needs, enrich student learning, and ensure career readiness. Students gain hands-on experience and skills, while employer partners benefit from access to emerging talent, the ability to shape future training, and a meaningful role in the community.
Collaboration is essential
This is exactly the kind of partnership we need. When education providers, businesses and government come together – each playing their part – we can build not only new homes and infrastructure, but lasting opportunities for people across the region.
Collaboration like this is not just welcome, it’s essential. It fuels ambition, unlocks potential, and gives students the tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing industry.
Because if we’re going to meet the challenges ahead – from climate resilience to housing demand – we’ll need every brick, every apprentice, every idea, and every ally we can get.
We believe partnerships like these must become the norm, not the exception. Together, we can build a stronger, better-prepared, and more inclusive construction workforce – for Yorkshire and far beyond.
