Tim Balcon, CEO at CITB, responded positively to the statement, highlighting the £600 million package for construction skills aimed at supporting the Government's homebuilding targets, and the £2 billion investment in affordable homes to accelerate delivery.

Balcon specifically welcomed the £32 million that CITB will receive as part of the skills package, which will support the Government's goal of funding over 40,000 industry placements annually. He also announced that CITB will be doubling the size of its New Entrant Support Team to make it easier for employers to find, recruit, and retain apprentices and new entrants.


"The Government's continued support for the construction industry through increased investment in construction skills is extremely welcome," said Balcon. "As an industry, we need to collectively grasp this opportunity and be better at shouting about what a fantastic industry this is, the prospects it can offer people, and attracting people into pursuing a career in construction."

He emphasised the significance of the moment, stating: "I genuinely believe this is a once-in-a-generation chance to us to recruit and train our workforce – equipping more people with the skills they urgently need now and in the future."

Balcon pointed to the Government's ambition to build 1.5 million new homes and approve 150 major infrastructure projects by the end of the decade, noting the recent approval of the Lower Thames Crossing as an example of the opportunities already emerging in the sector. "The opportunities aren't just on the horizon, they're in the here and now," he concluded.