The government's ambitious target of building 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament is being hindered by soaring material costs, planning bottlenecks, and a lack of affordable housing, according to industry experts. Official estimates show just over 300,000 homes were added in the first 18 months, nearly a third short of the required pace.
At South and City College in Birmingham, construction courses are booming, with enrolments up nearly a third since 2021. However, many students struggle to find apprenticeships after training. Only 24,500 construction apprenticeships started last year in England, a modest increase from 2020/21.
Rebecca Waterfield, executive director at the college, said: 'It's not a skills shortage. It's a connectivity issue. If every construction employer in Birmingham took one student on for experience, we would solve the problem.' Faculty head Andy Thompson added that the government's promise to train 40,000 new builders is 'the easy part' but questioned how many would actually find jobs.
Student Awad, 19, said he was optimistic about opportunities: 'There's always going to be a lot of demand. If we make more homes, that means more jobs for us.' However, experts warn that without addressing the apprenticeship gap and planning delays, the target remains out of reach.
