West Yorkshire colleges secure £6.7m to boost construction skills pipeline
The Construction Skills Capital funding, signed off at a West Yorkshire Combined Authority meeting, is designed to strengthen the region’s training capacity and help address growing labour shortages facing the construction sector.
Leeds College of Building will lead the delivery of the funding, distributing the investment across a partnership of further education providers including colleges in Bradford, Keighley, Kirklees and Calderdale, alongside the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group.
The funding will support the development of construction training facilities and equipment, enabling colleges to increase learner capacity and deliver industry-relevant skills in response to employer demand.
The investment comes as the industry continues to grapple with an ageing workforce and increasing demand for skilled labour.
Nationally, an estimated 60,000 additional construction workers are required to meet future workloads, while employers across West Yorkshire have warned that skills shortages could constrain growth and project delivery in the years ahead.
WYCA said the programme is intended to tackle the region’s construction skills gap, ensuring local training providers are better equipped to supply the skilled workforce needed for future housing, infrastructure and commercial development projects.
The latest investment forms part of wider efforts to strengthen the construction talent pipeline at a time when contractors continue to report difficulties recruiting qualified tradespeople across a range of disciplines.
