Travis Perkins launches landmark 10,000 apprentices target

Travis Perkins plc has launched a landmark target of training 10,000 apprentices across the construction industry by the end of 2030.

The target aims to address the critical industry skills gap and develop urgently needed skills to deliver new homes, infrastructure and the UK’s net zero strategy.

The firm has recently celebrated its 1,000th apprentice graduate and currently has 1,250 apprentices on 40+ programmes nationwide – with women representing 40% of apprentice graduates in 2023, up from 32% the previous year.

Nick Roberts, CEO of Travis Perkins plc, said: “Ensuring our country is equipped with the right skills to deliver a greener, more sustainable future for our built environment is essential. 

“We aim to bring in fresh talent; improve the diversity of our industry, and upskill existing colleagues, at a time when net zero and new safety legislation means the building and construction industry is undergoing its biggest shake-up for more than 30 years.

“Apprenticeships are fundamental to ensuring that the industry has the skills we need to deliver on net zero, retrofitting buildings, looking after our rich built heritage in every town and city, and creating a built environment that we can all be proud of.”

Apprenticeships will help to address a skills shortage, including for ‘green skills’ which will be required to help develop the next generation workforce in construction, through retrofitting the UK’s ageing housing stock, for both private and social housing, delivering energy efficient new homes and commercial and infrastructure projects. 

The construction sector is suffering from a skills shortage with industry sources estimating the need for over 200,000 new workers by 2027 to meet forecast demand. Travis Perkins plc aims to create the Next Generation Workforce by encouraging individuals to join the construction industry through its diverse range of entry level programmes as well as upskill those already in role, with its career development apprenticeships. 

Emma Rose, chief HR officer at Travis Perkins plc, added: “We are committed to building better communities and enriching lives, and this exciting announcement will create lots of new opportunities for people to earn whilst they learn and open doors which otherwise may have remained closed. 

“Travis Perkins is a leader within the industry and beyond when it comes to apprentices and the diversity of the 40+ programmes we offer, and I look forward to working with industry and government stakeholders to share insights on how we have built up our apprenticeship programme and our plans to scale this up further.”

To find out more about apprenticeships at Travis Perkins Group, visit www.tpplccareers.co.uk/apprenticeships