University welcomes plans for new Vocational GCSE in Building and Construction
Posted on: 25 September, 2026
The University of the Built Environment has welcomed government plans that could see pupils studying a new Vocational GCSE in Building and Construction from the age of 14.
The proposed qualification is among a new generation of Vocational GCSEs announced by the government this week, designed to give young people greater access to technical and practical education alongside traditional academic subjects. The first are expected to be available from September 2029, with Building and Construction among the subjects being considered.
The plans come as the construction industry grapples with a persistent skills gap. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimates that the UK will need an average of 41,200 additional construction workers every year between 2026 and 2030, equivalent to around 206,000 workers over five years. Around 35% of the existing construction workforce is aged over 50.
The University says the proposed qualification presents “a real opportunity to create a clearer pathway from school into construction, surveying, planning, and property”.
‘We have an ageing workforce’
James Beckwith, Associate Professor of Quantity Surveying at the University of the Built Environment, discussed the announcement on BBC Radio Berkshire.
“The construction industry has a skills shortage. We have an ageing workforce. We need people entering the industry,” he said. “So, from that perspective, this is a good thing.”
The new Vocational GCSEs will sit alongside existing GCSEs and eventually replace current Technical Awards. They will be the same size as GCSEs, with nationally set content and assessment and grading regulated by Ofqual.
English, Maths and Science will remain part of the common academic entitlement, while the vocational subjects are intended to provide clearer progression into qualifications including T Levels and the new V Levels, as well as A Levels.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham signalled the direction of the reforms in July when he pledged to put technical education on an equal footing with traditional academic routes.
Addressing young people, he said: “Whether you choose construction, coding or classics, you’ll get the skills you need and be given the respect you deserve.”
For Professor Malcolm Todd, Pro Vice Chancellor at the University of the Built Environment, the significance of a construction qualification at GCSE level lies in making those routes visible much earlier:
“I think this is a positive development. For the built environment, there is a real opportunity to create a clearer pathway from school into construction, surveying, planning, and property, through technical education and apprenticeships, into higher education and professional careers.
“At the University of the Built Environment, we see every day the value of connecting these different stages and giving young people a clear route into the sector.”
Tackling the construction skills shortage
Skills shortages stretch across the industry, with Government figures published earlier this year showing more than 35,000 vacancies in construction. More than half of these are attributed to a lack of the required skills.
James told BBC Radio Berkshire that students are increasingly thinking about how their education connects with their eventual career.
“People are looking at a job, they’re looking at how they can take their studies forward and use it in the workplace. I think that’s a good thing that all education providers should do, through school, through universities, looking at skills that people can use in industry.”
The government is also asking employers to provide an additional 200,000 work experience placements for 14 to 16-year-olds, including opportunities within construction companies, as part of the wider reforms.
Malcolm added:
“At a time when the industry continues to face skills shortages across a range of disciplines, it is important that young people are given greater awareness of the opportunities available within the sector.
“A dedicated GCSE in Building and Construction has the potential to inspire the next generation, raise the profile of built environment careers and help develop the talent pipeline the profession needs.”
Your built environment journey with us
From construction management and quantity surveying to building surveying, real estate and architectural design technology, our courses can help you build the skills for a career shaping the places where we live and work.
Explore our undergraduate programmes, postgraduate programmes or browse all our courses.
