BLOG – Our partnership with City & Guilds to help develop Green Skills in the construction sector
A new report from City & Guilds reveals that 76% of construction businesses are struggling to hire skilled workers – putting pressure on the UK’s goal of delivering 1.5 million new homes by 2029.
Groundwork has been working alongside City & Guilds and the wider construction sector to attract a more diverse range of talent into construction careers through the Green Start programme prioritising:
- People who have a criminal record
- People who are veterans
- People who are care leavers
- Women
Participants benefit from classroom-based training, tailored employment support, and Carbon Literacy training – ensuring they are equipped for the transition to a green economy.
Venetia Knight, Groundwork’s Head of Employment & Enterprise, is featured in the report, sharing her insights and experiences to date, as well as her thoughts on what government and the sector must do next.
Our provision focuses on energy-efficient homes, retrofitting, and greener urban spaces and as green skills evolve, so must training. The current system feels fragmented, making continuous upskilling essential. Our courses need to keep pace with rapid changes in sustainable construction. Looking ahead, we anticipate a greater need for individuals who can effectively install and maintain a wide variety of green technologies as well as fabric first skills for retrofit. I believe economic drivers and investment will heavily influence the direction of skills development – though we worry about a potential lag.
Government policy and direction is another major factor. Past failures have created nervousness, and this has made future planning and investment difficult. Timing the acquisition of skills for future needs is a persistent challenge especially as new technologies and systems often come with higher initial costs. However, devolved areas with local mayors can lead the way with this. Mayors can tailor priorities to local needs such as retrofit in Greater Manchester which allows for more effective decision making. Collaboration between central government and local authorities is crucial to ensuring consistency in reaching targets and policies.
To build future-ready skills, we need sustainability education and green career awareness starting in schools. Apprenticeships can open doors in construction for people from diverse backgrounds, but attracting women to trades still needs early, targeted action. Schools and career advisors must play a bigger role in promoting green skills and clearing up common misconceptions.