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The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has welcomed the UK Government’s announcement of a landmark £3 billion investment aimed at expanding skills training across key sectors, including construction, engineering, health and social care, and digital technologies.
Unveiled as a central component of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s “Plan for Change,” the initiative is set to create 120,000 new training opportunities. It seeks to address longstanding skills shortages and improve national productivity by focusing on the development of homegrown talent—particularly among young people preparing to enter the workforce.
CIBSE hailed the investment as a significant and timely move, noting its importance in building a workforce capable of meeting the UK’s economic, environmental, and technological challenges.
“This is a welcome and much-needed investment in our workforce,” said Dr Anastasia Mylona, CIBSE Technical Director. “The building services sector is at the forefront of delivering safe, efficient, and sustainable environments—and that relies on a pipeline of skilled professionals. By strengthening training provision and attracting young people into engineering, we can not only address current shortages but also drive long-term innovation and resilience in the built environment.”
As the built environment plays an essential role in achieving the UK’s Net Zero goals and broader recovery agenda, CIBSE emphasised the importance of aligning training programmes with real-world demands. The institution reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the initiative through educational partnerships, continuing professional development, and promotion of engineering careers to young people.
CIBSE also underscored its role in providing the technical guidance, standards, and learning resources necessary to ensure the sector remains equipped to deliver safe and sustainable infrastructure.
“We look forward to working with government, industry, and education providers to help deliver on the promise of this important initiative,” CIBSE stated.
