Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help increase the number of (a) women and (b) under-represented groups among construction apprentices.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

To support young people, including women and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, access apprenticeships in England, the department is promoting apprenticeships to students in schools and colleges through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme and through the Skills for Life campaign.

The department is also transforming career opportunities and advice to increase awareness of the range of high-quality options available to young people, including apprenticeships. The government has committed to improve careers advice and guarantee two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person, as well as establish a national jobs and careers service to support people into work and help them get on at work.​

The government is reforming the apprenticeships offer into a growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners across England and align with the Industrial Strategy. This will create routes into skilled jobs in growing industries, such as construction, for people of all ages and backgrounds.

This will include introducing new foundation apprenticeships for young people, as well as shorter-duration apprenticeships in targeted sectors. The minimum duration of an apprenticeship will be reduced to eight months from August 2025, which is down from the current minimum of 12 months. These measures will support more people from all backgrounds to gain high-quality skills at work and fuel innovation in business across the country.

Additionally, as part of the government’s ambitious plan to deliver 1.5 million homes in England in this Parliament, around 5,000 more construction apprenticeship places will be made available per year by 2027/28 through a £140 million industry investment. 32 new Homebuilding Skills Hubs will deliver fast-track training in critical areas such as bricklaying, groundwork and site carpentry to boost housebuilding and drive forward the government’s growth mission.