{"id":538116,"date":"2026-02-13T09:52:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T09:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/?p=538116"},"modified":"2026-02-13T09:52:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T09:52:07","slug":"national-apprenticeship-week-a-celebration-of-construction-apprentices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/sections\/long-reads\/opinion\/national-apprenticeship-week-a-celebration-of-construction-apprentices-13-02-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"National Apprenticeship Week: A celebration of construction apprentices"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tim Balcon is chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This National Apprenticeship Week, let\u2019s make an effort as an industry to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships and skills make to individuals, construction employers and the wider construction industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs employers, educators and industry experts, we must make sure the next generation have all the support and skills they need to succeed\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The construction sector is remaining resilient in the face of an abundance of opportunities, with ambitious government housebuilding and infrastructure targets. Our latest Construction Workforce Outlook<\/em> report forecasts that more than 47,000 additional construction workers are needed every year until 2029 across the UK to keep up with the increased demand.<\/p>\n

Apprenticeships should be seen and celebrated as a key way\u00a0in which to attract and recruit the new entrants we need into the workforce.<\/p>\n

Apprenticeships are a strong foundation for fulfilling careers<\/h3>\n

There are around 180 different careers in construction, which means there is something for everyone. I began my career as a service engineer apprentice with British Gas; as someone who is a former apprentice, I am proof that having clear technical training and different learning opportunities can shape your entire career. I will always believe that apprentices provide opportunities and create a strong foundation for a fulfilling career.<\/p>\n

As an industry, we now must work together to develop a strong pipeline of construction apprentices, providing targeted support and incentives to businesses to help increase the number of apprenticeships starts and ensure that more apprentices complete their training. Additionally, efforts to raise awareness about the benefits of apprenticeships and how to implement them could help overcome some of the barriers businesses face during the recruitment phase.<\/p>\n

As an industry, we are passionate and dedicated to providing accessible opportunities for everyone. No matter where someone is starting from, they should be able to see a future in this sector \u2013 and an apprenticeship is a strong foundation from which to begin.<\/p>\n

Engaging and supporting employers<\/h3>\n

We need to make pathways into the industry clearer, simpler and employer-led. Supporting employers is fundamental to growing the workforce. Without them, we wouldn\u2019t have as many apprenticeships available, and working together helps to make the success of an apprenticeship programme possible.<\/p>\n

Between April-December 2025, our New Entrant Support Team (NEST) \u2013 which provides hands-on support to employers across the UK to recruit and retain apprentices and new entrants in the construction industry \u2013 supported over 4,500 apprenticeships, exceeding our target with three months still to go. We are determined to continue to grow that number and sustain our support for industry and new entrants.<\/p>\n

There are multiple opportunities available in the industry, not so different from the one I had at the start of my career. The main difference now is that I have the privilege to be helping employers and new entrants in the same position I was to get onto their chosen paths and support them into their hopefully long and successful careers.<\/p>\n

I have always been proud of the fact I began as an apprentice, and I hope that more young people and new entrants to construction will get to see how an apprenticeship can shape their futures.<\/p>\n

Supporting the next generation through collaborative efforts<\/h3>\n

As employers, educators and industry experts, we must make sure the next generation have all the support and skills they need to succeed in their careers and build the critical infrastructure and housing we need.<\/p>\n

National Apprenticeship Week is a great opportunity to celebrate the work of apprentices and remind ourselves that to meet the industry\u2019s workforce demands, we need concerted effort to address retention and completion rates, support small firms, and raise awareness about the benefits of apprenticeships. By doing so, the industry can ensure a steady pipeline of skilled apprentices and secure its future growth and success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tim Balcon is chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board This National Apprenticeship Week, let\u2019s make an effort as an industry to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships and skills make to individuals, construction employers and the wider construction industry. \u201cAs employers, educators and industry experts, we must make sure the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":538118,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[559,567],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-538116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-long-reads","category-opinion"],"yoast_head":"\nNational Apprenticeship Week: A celebration of construction apprentices | Construction News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tim Balcon is chief executive of the Construction Industry 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