Senior built environment leaders urge overhaul of technical skills policy
Posted on: 14 January, 2026
Britain’s ability to build safely, sustainably and at scale is being held back by a fragmented skills system, senior industry leaders have warned.
A high-level roundtable, convened by the Built Environment Futures Assembly (BEFA), tackled the issue of mounting shortages in technical and professional capability across construction, property and infrastructure.
Chaired by Mark Farmer, the discussion focused on how a more coordinated, evidence-led skills system could future-proof the sector.
He said: “Now more than ever, we need joined-up thinking across the built environment. This requires sector-wide engagement and collective leadership to break down traditional industry silos and modernise skills development.”
No short-term fixes
The event brought together employers, professional bodies and educators to examine how emerging reforms – including apprenticeship assessment changes, post-16 skills policy and the development of Skills England – can be aligned with real-world industry needs.
Participants stressed the importance of measuring outcomes properly, linking competence to professional registration, and ensuring employers can demonstrate compliance with the Building Safety Act. The consensus was that joined-up thinking is now mission-critical, not just an option.
Co-hosted by the Technical Apprenticeship Consortium and the University of the Built Environment, the roundtable highlighted shared priorities around widening access to technical careers, supporting reskilling in digital, AI and sustainability, and building a workforce plan rooted in robust data rather than short-term fixes.
A ‘future-facing skills system’
Dr Caroline Sudworth, Director of the Technical Apprenticeship Consortium, said: “Technical and professional skills development must be employer-led but system-supported. Employers are at the forefront of identifying skills needs, but rely on strong support from education and training providers and government to deliver those skills at scale.
“With that backing, training can meet the needs of new entrants and those upskilling in our sector, align with industry demand, and remain accessible, financially viable, high quality and sustainable in the long term.”
Aled Williams, Pro Vice Chancellor at the University of the Built Environment, said: “The roundtable highlighted the value of collaborative approaches to education and training. By bringing together industry, education and professional bodies to shape policy and practice, the sector has a real opportunity to align strategy with delivery. Supporting the Construction Skills Mission Board, we can build a future-facing skills system that supports new entrants, enables progression, and lifts industry competency.”
A round-up of the roundtable discussion
They noted that there needs to be:
- A greater focus on the development of an evidence-based and data-informed workforce plan, which places technical and professional skills at its heart.
- A new means to measure accountability and define success, through which we can track skills training and educational outcomes which reflect industry requirements to attract, train and retain talent in the long term.
- A better understanding of apprenticeship assessment reform, its impacts for employers seeking to demonstrate competence against the Building Safety Act, and the broader links to professional registration for completing apprenticeships.
- A greater collaboration and coordination with the sector through the Construction Skills Mission Board and Skills England in order to achieve these priorities. environment sector.
The group also identified shared priorities, such as strengthening more diverse pathways into the industry, as well as supporting upskilling and reskilling pathways for the existing workforce in areas including emerging technologies, digital and AI, green and sustainability skills.
For more information on the Built Environment Futures Assembly and its initiatives, please visit www.befa.org.uk.
