The Black Country will be home to a newly launched centre of excellence aimed at boosting skills in the construction sector.

Dudley College of Technology has been chosen as one of ten centres across England to host one of the Department for Education's new 'Technical Excellence Colleges'.

The long-term plan is to train 40,000 people in a broad variety of fields connected to the construction industry including bricklaying, carpentry, roofing and electrics by 2029.

This will include apprentices and reskilling people already working in the sector.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show around 35,000 job vacancies need to be filled in the construction industry.

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The DfE said it hoped the £100 million initiative would reduce the reliance on overseas workers and see the colleges working directly with employers to ensure training led to well-paid jobs and long-term economic growth.

This builds on the £625 million investment announced in March which will separately be used to train up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers by 2029.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "We need skilled workers to deliver the homes, schools and hospitals that communities across the country are crying out for and today's announcement underlines our commitment to the next generation of homegrown talent.

"Construction Technical Excellence Colleges will enable us to invest in people and give them the skills they need to break down barriers to opportunity in an industry which is essential to delivering growth through our Plan for Change."

A recent survey found that the percentage of construction firms funding or offering training to their workers had fallen from 57 per cent in 2011 to 49 per cent in 2024.

In response, the new industry-led Construction Skills Mission Board, which was launched in June, has pledged to recruit an additional 100,000 construction workers a year by the end of this parliament.

David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, added: "Today's announcement is very positive news for people wanting good jobs, for the construction employers looking for skilled people and for the Government's ambitions to build 1.5 million new homes.

"It represents significant investment and trust in the ten successful colleges, and the college sector, recognising their crucial role in boosting the country's construction sector by opening up high-quality learning opportunities all over the country.

"We look forward to supporting the colleges as leaders in the construction skills arena, partnering with employers, developing new courses and ensuring that innovation in construction techniques and approaches can be supported across all employers with skills training.

"We are also keen to help the colleges build their networks with other colleges in their areas."

The nine other centres are in Derby, Suffolk, London, Sunderland, Wigan, Kent, Exeter, Bedford and Leeds.

Darren Littlewood, chief financial officer at developer Henry Boot, said: "The Government's investment in Technical Excellence Colleges is a welcome step towards tackling the long-standing construction skills gap.

"But to truly future-proof our workforce, training must go beyond meeting immediate labour shortages - it needs to embed low-carbon construction techniques, modern methods of construction and digital skills from the outset.

"By combining technical excellence with sustainability and community-focused outcomes, we can create a resilient, high-skilled workforce that not only meets housing targets, but delivers projects that stand the test of time for the people and places they serve."

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker and Dudley MP Sonia Kumar have both welcomed the news.

Mayor Parker said: "Dudley has a proud history of making and building and this new status for Dudley College will help make sure it has a proud future too.

"Construction is vital to our economy and infrastructure and it offers young people the skills to build a career in a sector that's in demand.

"I'm pleased the Government has committed this investment and I'll be working with them, Dudley College and local employers to make sure it delivers opportunities for people across the Black Country and the wider region."

Ms Kumar added: "This announcement marks a major step forward for skills development in Dudley.

"By choosing Dudley College to be the West Midlands Construction Technical Excellence College, we're opening doors for local people to gain high-quality training and access rewarding careers in a vital industry.

"It's about creating real opportunities - giving our young people and adult learners the tools they need to succeed, right here in their own community.

"I'm proud to see Dudley leading the way in building a skilled workforce for the future. This is a vote of confidence in our town's potential and in the talent of our people."