‘Building Growth Action Plan’ aims to bridge skills gap as region sees a five-year high in construction starts

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has launched a plan to connect 12,000 young people with careers in construction.

The “Building Growth Action Plan” capitalises on a surge in building activity in the region evidenced by the Deloitte Birmingham Crane Survey 2026, which recorded 23 new construction starts in 2025 – the most in five years and more than double the previous year. 

The boom is being driven by demand for 12,200 new homes annually, a £2.4bn transport investment programme, a £160m retrofit scheme, and flagship projects including the East Birmingham Sports Quarter.

12,000 new workers over the next three years

The plan, launched at an affordable housing development in Sandwell, aims to bridge a skills gap identified by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), which estimates the region needs 12,000 new workers over the next three years. 

It will create more training placements and strengthen the transition from education into employment, bolstering existing schemes including the WMCA’s Path 2 Apprenticeship and Construction Gateway programmes.

It builds on the recently opened Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC), led by Dudley College, and follows the Mayor’s announcement of £75m in additional construction training funding.

Mayor Parker said: “Construction offers a well-paid, stable career for life. We are seeing a construction boom across our region, and I am determined to make sure local people are at the front of the queue to secure these vital jobs.”

Tim Balcon, CEO at CITB, said the plan marked “an important step towards building a more joined-up regional construction skills ecosystem.”