Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department provides support programs including (a) appropriate training, (b) mentorship and (c) career pathways to encourage young people to enter the construction sector.

This government is working to create a clear, flexible, high-quality skills system that supports people of all ages, breaking down the barriers to opportunity and driving economic growth.

The department has already established Skills England to ensure we have the highly-trained workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs of the next decade. It will ensure the skills system is clear and navigable for both young people and older adults, strengthening careers pathways into jobs across the economy.

A wide range of government-funded programmes are available for people of all ages to access education and training and develop a career pathway in construction. These include apprenticeships, T Levels, Skills Bootcamps, and Free Courses for Jobs.

There are currently 91 high-quality apprenticeship standards in the construction and the built environment sector, with a further two standards in development. The department has introduced innovations to support growth of training programmes in the sector. For example, we are making apprenticeships more flexible through flexi job apprenticeships. There are Skills Bootcamps around the country that offer courses in different areas of construction.

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has recently published occupational maps on their website displaying the apprenticeship progression opportunities in each occupation. The occupational maps can be accessed via their website at: https://occupational-maps.instituteforapprenticeships.org/. These maps also specify if the occupation is embedded within the green occupational landscape and deliver sustainable outcomes.

​T Levels also provide an excellent option for 16 to 19 learners and include valuable workplace experience through an industry placement of at least 45 days. Thousands of young people have benefited from T Levels in subject areas such as Design, Surveying and Planning, and Building Services Engineering, which can lead to rewarding careers in the construction sector. ​​

​There are 21 ​Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) currently available in the Construction and the Built Environment occupational route, with a further 19 becoming available from September 2025. HTQs are level 4 and 5 qualifications which have been independently approved as providing the skills employers need. Examples of HTQs currently available in these areas include Higher National Diploma (HND) in Modern Methods of Construction, HND in Architectural Technology and HNC Construction Quantity Surveying.

High-quality careers advice is an essential part of our missions to break down the barriers to opportunity and to drive economic growth. Our ambition is for everyone to have access to impartial careers information, advice and guidance throughout their lives. This will help open up more opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to access the skills and training they need to succeed in the workplace and to advance their careers.