A network of 32 Homebuilding Skills Hubs are set to offer 5,000 more construction apprenticeship places per year.

A £140m industry investment will see the hubs deliver fast-track training to local areas that need more housing, while giving apprentices vital skills to boost housebuilding.

The purpose-built hubs will provide a realistic working environment for training for key construction trades, including bricklayers, roofers, plasterers, scaffolders, electricians, carpenters and more.

All hubs are scheduled to have launched by 2028.

The government is working with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the National House-Building Council (NHBC) to launch them.

Working with Skills England to identify the areas that need construction workers the most, this will ensure employers and businesses have access to high quality apprenticeship training, kickstarting economic growth and creating jobs across England.

The fast-track apprenticeships offered by the hubs can be completed in 12-18 months, up to half the time of a traditional 24-30-month construction apprenticeship.

The National House Building Council (NHBC) is launching 12 new multi-skills training hubs, backed by its £100m investment.

Roger Morton, director of business change and NHBC’s Training Hubs, said: “Our £100m investment in a national network of 12 NHBC Multi-Skills Training Hubs will train quality apprentices and help shape the future of UK house building.

“Our expert facilities will shake-up the industry starting with training in critical areas including bricklaying, groundwork and site carpentry.

“NHBC’s hubs are designed to be flexible, adapting to local housing needs and regulatory changes.

“Our intensive training will produce skilled tradespeople faster, equipping them to hit the ground running from day one. At NHBC, our mission is to ensure every apprentice meets our high standards, delivering quality new homes the UK urgently needs.

“With funding support through the Apprenticeship Levy and generous grants, I’d say to builders and contractors, there’s never been a better time to invest in apprentices.

“It’s an opportunity to grow your workforce while offering talented people a rewarding and well-paid career in this essential industry.

Tim Balcon, chief executive of CITB, added: “It is clear that we need to rethink how we train our workforce and be much more agile in our approach.

“We have worked closely with the homebuilding industry and government to develop a programme that is focussed on equipping individuals with the skills they need to be productive on site, in the most efficient way. This is truly a collaborative approach and one we are very excited about.

“This investment to launch 32 Homebuilding Skills Hubs will help meet the homebuilding targets while flattening peaks in demand for construction skills on homebuilding across the country.”