Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department is taking steps to support the (a) training of builders and insulators and (b) new recruits to that sector to support the insulation of homes.

The government is investing £3.8 billion more in further education (FE) and skills over the Parliament to ensure people have access to skills to build a fulfilling career in jobs the economy needs. The department’s Skills for Jobs white paper sets out our plan to invest in opportunities for new entrants to the labour market, as well as upskilling opportunities for adults. These interventions are key to the country’s transition to a net zero economy and our ambition to build roads, homes, and broadband faster.

Apprenticeships are at the forefront of this change. There are 97 high-quality apprenticeship standards in the construction and the built environment occupational route, which have been developed by employer trailblazer groups to ensure apprentices gain skills key to the sector. These include a range of standards relevant to insulation and retrofit, such as Industrial Thermal Insulation Technician at level 3, Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) at level 4, and Low Carbon Heating Technician at level 3.

In additional to apprenticeships, the department is taking steps to strengthen vocational options for young people with the introduction of T Levels. These are two-year, technical qualifications designed with businesses and employers, and are equivalent in size to 3 A levels. The first T Levels in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction were launched in 2020, with the first cohort having received their results this summer.

As we are strengthening progression pathways for career starters, the department is also investing in re-skilling and up-skilling opportunities to make sure adults, at any age, can upskill to reach their potential, transforming lives and delivering on the National Skills Fund commitment. As part of this investment, we have introduced the Free Courses for Jobs scheme, which enables learners without a level 3 qualification, or learners with any qualification level but earning below the National Living Wage, to gain a qualification for free. 72 qualifications in building and construction are currently on offer under this scheme. In addition, learners who want to upskill in their role, are looking for work, or are changing career can take part in Skills Bootcamps in construction and green skills.

The department is promoting and increasing awareness of our skills provision to learners and employers through the Skills for Life campaign, which targets employers, young people, and adults. Our campaign toolkits provide more information and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/skills-campaign-toolkits. Moreover, the department supports cross-government discussions on wider workforce challenges in the sector, for example through the Green Jobs Delivery Group. More information on this is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/green-jobs-delivery-steps-up-a-gear.