During Education Questions in Parliament on 20 October 2025, Toby Perkins MP asked the Education Secretary about what more she is going to do to get more young people into the construction industry.
Transcript-
Toby Perkins: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. The Construction Skills Hub, in Staveley, in my constituency is a great example of the value of apprenticeship. This year, 68 young people have come straight out of school and started a new construction apprenticeship. Does my Rt. Hon. friend agree with me that the only way we’re going to be able to achieve the Government’s ambitious construction plans is if we get more people to take on a construction career and welcoming the announcements that my Rt. Hon. friend is making, can she tell us what more she’s going to do to make sure we get more young people into our construction industry?
Secretary of State: My Hon. friend is absolutely right, and I know this is a cause he has championed for many, many years to make sure that are strong vocational and technical routes, including to areas like construction. Around 5,000 more construction apprenticeship places will be made available each year, thanks to our £140 million investment but that investment is also coming with reform. New foundation apprenticeships, equipping young people with the skills that they need, construction technical excellence colleges in every region, working together with business to make sure that we are training the plasterers, the electricians, the bricklayers of the future. These are fantastic careers, with great prospects and we need to make sure they’re available to more young people, including in his community.