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Government Sets Out £570m Colleges Package, Devolves £283m to Local Leaders

Local authorities will confirm allocations next year to expand training places for priority sectors.

Overview

  • The package is intended to train 60,000 additional construction workers to support the goal of delivering 1.5 million homes by the end of the current Parliament.
  • The South West is allocated about £21 million, with Devon and Torbay set for over £3 million, and Cornwall and the West of England each receiving more than £9 million.
  • Applications have opened for a new wave of Technical Excellence Colleges specialising in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, defence and digital skills, with openings scheduled from April 2026.
  • T Level providers will receive £8.8 million for industry-standard equipment, and an FE Teacher Industry Exchange pilot will begin in January 2026 to bring construction professionals into classrooms.
  • Industry voices have questioned the scale and coordination of the plan, warning that training must match real local vacancies and that competing projects could pull workers away from housebuilding.