Industry-led Sector Skills Plans will help employers meet current and future skills demands.
The construction industry is at a pivotal moment, with the government working toward ambitious homebuilding targets and investing in large infrastructure projects – such as the £9 billion Lower Thames Crossing and Luton Airport expansion schemes, respectively approved in March and April this year.
The industry must be ready to evolve and meet the changing skills, training and recruitment needs head-on.
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One way the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is supporting the industry is by developing Sector Skills Plans. These are action plans designed to address the specific needs of sectors within the construction industry.
Chaired by industry leaders, the plans are owned and shaped by construction stakeholders and employers, outlining clear actions and interventions to the skills challenges faced by the sector.
These plans are industry-owned initiatives supported and invested in by CITB, aiming to close the skills gap and ensure the UK can deliver on its mission for economic growth, new homes and improved infrastructure.
Closing the skills gap for the infrastructure sector
The Infrastructure Sector Skills Plan is led by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) and is the first plan like this for the infrastructure sector.
The Sector Skills Plans plans are industry-owned initiatives supported and invested in by CITB, aiming to close the skills gap and ensure the UK can deliver on its mission for economic growth, new homes and improved infrastructure
Mark Crosby, CITB
It aims to close the skills gap for the sector by attracting new workers and upskilling the workforce through a variety of initiatives.
One part of this is the establishment of the Infrastructure Sector Skills Advisory Group, made up of industry experts and CITB representatives.
The group will guide the implementation of the Sector Skills Plan, which will address eight key challenges – including the attraction of new entrants, quality and availability of training, and support for employers.
Infrastructure is one of the sectors with the highest demand for new recruits. That is why CITB is investing £2.8 million through the Infrastructure Sector Skills Plan to tackle this issue.
The plan will help to train a range of essential roles, including plant operatives, steelfixers, groundworkers, formworkers and civil engineering operatives.
The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority has also been recently established by the government to speed up infrastructure delivery.
The government plans to approve 150 major infrastructure projects and recently approved the construction of Lower Thames Crossing and the expansion of London Luton Airport.
Realising the ambition of these projects now relies on having the skilled construction workforce in place to deliver it.
CITB’s latest figures, published in May 2024, showed that we need an extra 10,400 workers in the South East – 2,080 a year – to meet expected construction growth.
This number may be higher now due to these projects being approved and the government’s homebuilding ambitions.
Collaboration across the industry
The Infrastructure Sector Skills Plan is not the only plan we have been working on.
Different sectors in the industry have been coming together to tackle skills-based challenges, with four Sector Skills Advisory Groups formed to develop and deliver sector-based skills plans. These are:
- Homebuilding
- Infrastructure
- Repair, maintenance and improvement
- Commercial, public non-housing, industrial and high-rise residential
CITB is encouraging collaboration across the industry to address the skills shortages in these sectors.
As a result, industry leaders, CITB, employers and stakeholders have worked together to understand the needs of each sector and develop solutions to deliver specific outcomes.
This collaborative approach gives employers a much greater say in how and where CITB support and funding is directed.
The housing sector has already seen significant progress with the Homebuilding Sector Skills Plan.
Industry leaders, CITB, employers and stakeholders have worked together to understand the needs of each sector and develop solutions… This collaborative approach gives employers a much greater say in how and where CITB support and funding is directed
Mark Crosby, CITB
CITB is investing more than £3 million to support this plan, focusing on strategic skills activities that directly benefit employers.
It is also collaborating with the National House Building Council (NHBC) to deliver homebuilding skills hubs across the UK to deliver fast-track apprenticeships to support the government’s homebuilding target.
As of March 2025, more than 3,600 bricklayers and roofers have benefited from the Brickwork and Roofing Masterclass, which is one of the initiatives from the plan.
What’s still to come?
These plans are live programmes of activity that will evolve as the needs and demands of the industry continue to change during this era of new opportunities.
CITB will maintain a collaborative approach throughout this to efficiently meet the requirements of the construction industry and demonstrate sustained impact and success.
By responding to the needs of the sector and working collaboratively with a range of partners and stakeholders, Sector Skills Plans will be able to support the construction industry to have a skilled, competent and inclusive workforce, now and in the future.
