The CITB’s NEST has supported 7,230 employers and has supported 3,925 current apprentices. 

The most recent available statistics reveal that roughly 33,000 people started construction apprenticeships in the UK in 2024-25. 

Within the same timeframe, NEST supported more than 4,100 apprenticeship starts.

This means NEST facilitated over 12% of all construction apprenticeship starts.

NEST supports employers with finding, recruiting and retaining apprentices or new entrants, as well as supporting them with accessing grants and funding while delivering ongoing support as well as employee mentoring.

The CITB’s Construction Workforce Outlook found that more than 41,000 extra construction workers are needed per year.

Leanne Land, head of Regional Engagement, CITB, said: “CITB is here to support employers to take on new entrants, and it’s fantastic to see the impact of our New Entrant Support Team.

“By reducing barriers, supporting recruitment and championing the value of apprenticeships, we can help ensure that more people enter and successfully complete the training that construction and the wider economy will increasingly depend upon.”

Land added: “It’s also vital that we don’t solely focus on people starting and completing training, but that they also progress into long-term careers in the industry.”