Skills

There were 24,590 new construction apprentices taken on in 2024/25, the first annual rise in three years, according to a report from professional tool supplier Protrade. At the same time, it was a record year for women beginning apprenticeships in the sector, with a 9 per cent rise on the…

In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, one of the biggest-ever construction sector initiatives was launched in a bid to ensure everyone in the industry could prove they were competent. CN examines its progress

10. Inside the BSR bottleneck: part two In the second instalment of a two-part series investigating the Building Safety Regulator's progress, Charlotte Banks explored whether change was on the horizon.   9. 10 people to watch in 2025 Chatbots, Tilbury Douglas chief executive Craig Tatton and HS2 chief Mark Wild…

With the infrastructure boost offset by a slow housebuilding market and the ongoing skills crisis, the construction industry is hoping for a better year ahead

When Manchester-based Gallaway Construction’s chief executive Renee Preston was named the ‘Winner of Winners’ for inspiring women at the start of the year she had never won an award before. But since that win at the Inspirational Businesswomen in Stem & Construction Awards, her success has snowballed. Throughout 2025 she…

Emma Scott is regulator Ofqual’s director of vocational and technical qualifications delivery Qualification fraud can lead to serious problems: safety risks, damaged reputations, and millions lost to rework and compensation claims. In a recent survey carried out by Ofqual in partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and Construction…

Anna Scothern is chief executive of the National Home Improvement Council and chair of both the Construction Leadership Council repairs, maintenance and improvement (RMI) working group, and Construction Skills Mission Board RMI skills group The national conversation about improving our homes often begins with technology and targets. But behind every…

Renee Preston, director at Gallaway Construction and founder of Construction for Women In the 1980s, Britain faced a youth employment crisis. Unemployment peaked near 12 per cent – and for school leavers it was far worse. The government accepted responsibility and introduced the Youth Training Scheme (YTS), a national guarantee…

Ashley Wheaton has spent more than a decade steering a specialist surveying faculty towards a new future as the University of the Built Environment. Now vice-chancellor of the new institution, he reflects on the journey – and sets out a vision for expansion.

John Wilkinson is chief operating officer at BAM UK & Ireland  I recently had the pleasure of visiting our Eastern Green Link 2 project, the largest energy infrastructure scheme in the UK. As I stood alongside our team in Peterhead, I was reminded of a fundamental truth: our progress toward…