'Limitless opportunities': Joy as college named one of 10 Centres of Technical Excellence for the Construction sector in England

The college has been chosen to shape a region-wide approach to boost skills in all areas of construction including traditional trades such as brickwork, plumbing and electrical as well as emerging skills need such as solar PV Installation, following a national bidding process led by the Department for Education.

It will share in £80 million capital funding and £20 million revenue funding pledged over the next four years to support CTECs to work collaboratively with employers, other training providers and professional bodies such as CITB, to meet the challenges faced in recruiting a workforce to deliver new build and infrastructure projects.

Building on the wide range of training programmes delivered from the college’s Construction Apprenticeship Training (CAT) Centre in Brierley Hill and its Advance Centre in Dudley, the CTEC status will allow for further expansion of the college’s training offer including apprenticeships, T-Levels and short upskilling courses for those already working in industry. The college will share its expertise with other further education, higher education and training providers in the region to increase capacity overall, in areas of skill shortage such as building services engineering, retrofit and construction management.

Diana Martin, chief executive and principal at Dudley College of Technology, said: “This superb news recognises the significant growth we have achieved over the last three years by responding to the huge training opportunities presented by the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Growth Plan, which will build 120,000 new homes, and their commitment to Homes for the Future, which will drive progress to net zero.

"In becoming a Centre for Excellence, we will be able to accelerate our mission to train hundreds of learners, who will have limitless employment opportunities as we see exponential demand for skills across this sector.”   

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “This investment is also a huge vote of confidence from Government for our plans to equip our young people with the skills they need to secure great jobs and help us build a brighter future for Dudley and the wider West Midlands.”

He added that "the college is stepping up to ensure a supply of keen, well-trained workers who are ready to take advantage of the exciting opportunities on their doorstep".

Milena Davis, head of early careers at VINCI Building, said the news was a "fantastic" step to addressing the skills shortages faced in the industry, adding: "This is a great opportunity for Dudley College, a longstanding and valued partner of ours. I’m particularly interested in seeing how CTECs are rolled out nationally and how the college can support regional development. At VINCI Building, we’re committed to building strong, collaborative relationships with our clients and stakeholders - and this initiative is a positive step forward for the construction industry."

A recent Government survey found the percentage of construction firms funding or offering training to their workers has fallen from 57 per cent in 2011 to 49 per cent in 2024.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said of the news: “We need skilled workers to deliver the homes, schools and hospitals that communities across the country are crying out for, and today’s announcement underlines our commitment to the next generation of homegrown talent.

“Construction Technical Excellence Colleges will enable us to invest in people and give them the skills they need to break down barriers to opportunity.”

Professor Paul Noon OBE, chairperson of Dudley College's Corporation, said the recognition and funding would "give the people of Dudley and the wider region even greater access to the types of training that will deliver individual and collective economic growth" and he added: "It will also allow us to deepen the collective work institutions already do by working together on a whole sector training plan."

Dudley MP Sonia Kumar welcomed the news - saying it will create "real opportunities" for people in the area.

She said: “This announcement marks a major step forward for skills development in Dudley. By choosing Dudley College to be the West Midlands Construction Technical Excellence College, we’re opening doors for local people to gain high-quality training and access rewarding careers in a vital industry.

“It’s about creating real opportunities — giving our young people and adult learners the tools they need to succeed, right here in their own community.

“I’m proud to see Dudley leading the way in building a skilled workforce for the future. This is a vote of confidence in our town’s potential and in the talent of our people.”