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I’m a big fan of apprenticeships. Earning while learning is a great way to start working life. I know because when I became an apprentice gas service engineer in the early 1980s it changed my life.

2022 was a tough year. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was arguably the biggest conflict since World War Two. Meanwhile at home, rising inflation, interest rates, and a cost-of-living crisis took hold. The global and domestic upheaval impacted many industries including construction, one of the UK’s biggest growth drivers. This turbulence is reflected in our new Construction Skills Network (CSN) report.

My job is to help firms get all the funding they’re eligible for, writes CITB Engagement Adviser Abbie Langridge.

A school-based training facility which linked local people to employers who were struggling to recruit skilled workers scored top marks for delivery.

Sian Walkey, like many in construction, didn’t take her apprenticeship straight from school. The mum-of-two had already studied, built up a successful career and started a family – but she wanted to go further. She wanted to upskill and unleash her potential.

"Learning a new skill every day was one of the best feelings.” Those words are from trainee joiner Daniel Skelly. They are a very good example of how training for a new career can be enjoyable – and transform a life.

When aspiring joiner Willow Kehily was made redundant from her job in retail, she made a bold decision. The Cardigan-based mum decided to re-skill and pursue her interest in carpentry. It was a risky move. But it paid off. Within days of starting onsite construction training Willow knew she had made the right choice.

One word explains why modern fire safety skills are more vital than ever for every UK construction worker: Grenfell. The review recommended action to improve the lack of basic fire safety awareness in the construction and buildings maintenance workforce. CITB’s new fire safety eCourse is a response to that recommendation.

Green Careers Week is taking place for the first time this year (November 7-12), shining a spotlight on net zero jobs and green career pathways across all sectors, including construction. As part of the campaign, careers platform Talentview Construction (TVC) spoke to sustainability experts from across the sector about what their work involves.

One organisation can’t solve all construction’s skills challenges. To attract new workers, stakeholders need to partner for skills and take an aligned approach to training. That’s the best way of supporting people into well paid construction jobs. I’m pleased to say that a new, co-ordinated approach to skills is in the pipeline: Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs).