Qualification being scrapped because of lack of demand as HBF says not enough people to meet government’s housing plan
The government has said Construction T levels are being pulled because of a lack of demand.
They were first introduced four years ago but the government has said the September 2024 intake will be the last group of students to carry out the course.
It said: “Although this T Level is providing valuable education and industry experience, and a positive route into employment for students undertaking it, on the whole its success and uptake have been limited due to the overall lack of demand for a large level 3 qualification in this area.
“Although this T Level is giving students a good foundation for their future career, overall we have concluded that the needs of learners, and the economy are best met through apprenticeships and other classroom provision.”
It added: “In the future, the needs of learners and the economy in this pathway will be met through apprenticeships and other classroom provision. T Levels in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction, and Building Services Engineering for Construction will continue.”
The government pointed towards its commitment to other areas of construction training, including a recent announcement of £140m from industry which will be used to create Homebuilding Skills Hubs.
The news comes after the Home Builders Federation (HBF) warned over the weekend there were not enough workers to build all the homes the government had committed to.
The HBF and Barratt Redrow said skills shortages, ageing workers and Brexit were some of the factors behind the shrinking workforce.
For every 10,000 new homes to be built, the sector needs about 30,000 new recruits across 12 trades, according to the HBF.
The HBF told the BBC while the industry had “the capacity to deliver current build levels, tens of thousands of new people will need to be recruited if we are to reach the targets set out”.
Among the reasons for the recruitment issues, the HBF added, were a poor perception and lack of training within schools, not enough apprenticeships and the costs of taking on apprentices.
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