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TRAINING

Good news for apprenticeships and gender and

ethnic balance in construction – but still lots to do vecteezy.com

EW analysis by Protrade reveals a • 2024/25 represents the first year of Despite signs of stabilisation, apprenticeship
N1.5% increase in new construction growth in construction apprenticeships numbers are still significantly short of the
apprentices for 2024/25, representing the since 2021/22, with 24,590 new levels required to meet long-term workforce
first year of growth since the 2021/22 apprentices, an increase of 1.5% on the demand, particularly in light of ongoing
peak. year prior housing and infrastructure targets.
Following back to back years of declines • Record year for females beginning a The latest 2024/25 data shows a modest
in new entrants to the sector, including construction apprenticeship, with a 9% recovery in construction apprenticeship
a 5.9% decrease in 2022/23 and 1.2% increase and 2,630 female new entrants starts, with 24,590 new apprentices
drop in 2023/24, this reversal in trend - women now account for 1 in 10 enrolling in 2024/25, a 1.5% increase on the
represents a positive story for the construction apprentices previous year. While this marks a reversal
construction industry. • 2,270 new apprentices from ethnic of the year-on-year decline seen since the
However, despite this growth, it minority backgrounds, representing an 2021/22 peak, overall intake remains 5.6%
may still fall short of government’s 18% increase on 2023/24 levels below post-pandemic highs.
ambitious house-building and renovation • East Midlands is the fastest growing As a result, this uptick must be taken
programmes. The Construction Industry region for new construction apprentices with a pinch of salt, as it falls far short
Trading Board forecasted last year that an (8% growth), while North West leads of the 48,000 new construction workers
additional 240,000 construction workers overall with most apprentices (4,240) required by the sector each year to tackle
would be required by 2030 to keep pace • London ranks the lowest for new the employment gap that remains.
with construction targets. construction apprentices (1,980) despite 
Against this backdrop, the latest growth 3% increase. Record year for new female
in 2024/25 (24,590 new apprentices) UK construction apprenticeship uptake construction apprentices after 8.7%
represent just over half (51%) of the increases by 1.5%, reversing two-year decline increase in new starters
roughly 48,000 new recruits the sector Year Number of new Number of new construction apprentices
actually needs to hit each year. construction apprentices Year Male Female
As a result, the construction sector 2020/21 18,470 1,490
has work to do in order to significantly 2020/21 19,960
expand the uptake of construction 2021/22 26,060 2021/22 24,140 1,930
apprenticeships. 2022/23 24,530 2022/23 22,270 2,260
Key findings from the Protrade 2023/24 24,230 2023/24 21,810 2,420
Construction Apprenticeship report: 2024/25 24,590 2024/25 21,970 2,630

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