Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Regional funding to train next generation of construction workers, published on 20 May 2026, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that funded placements lead to sustained employment in the construction sector.

Construction industry placements have been designed in collaboration with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) to address feedback on the needs of learners looking to enter the sector. The Industry Placement programme is designed to tackle lower levels of progression to the workplace for learners undertaking Level 2 and 3 qualifications with no mandatory placement.

The department is committed to ensuring that construction industry placements translate into sustained employment opportunities. We are working with employers and sector bodies to design placements that reflect real workforce needs, ensuring participants gain in-demand, job-ready skills. We are also embedding high-quality standards for placements, including clear objectives, and meaningful on-site experience.

Furthermore, by linking placements to progression routes, including direct employment, apprenticeships, and further training, we are encouraging employers to use placements as a recruitment pathway. We are also providing wraparound support to participants, such as careers guidance, and pastoral support.

We are working closely with CITB to ensure that placement content and approach, and their Work Bridge programme, complement each other.