Places for London celebrates 10,000 learners through its construction skills programme

Places for London, Transport for London’s wholly owned property company, through work with its training partner, The Skills Centre, and its construction and developer partners across London, has now trained more than 10,000 people through its Construction Skills Programme since 2019, helping thousands of Londoners into jobs and careers that are helping London grow.

Together with other public bodies and industry leaders, Places for London’s Construction Skills Programme trains people at its network of five academies on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Skills Centres at Earls Court, Edgware and Bollo Lane, and, most recently, the Green Plant Academy, the only dedicated training facility for operating construction vehicles in London.

All five academies are equipped to train people on a range of skills to help people into the construction industry, helping people become dryliners, formworkers, steelfixers and much more. The training available includes in-work National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), apprenticeships, trade‑based skills to specialist courses. Learners can also work towards gaining their Constructions Skills Certifications Scheme (CSCS) card – a nationally recognised accreditation, which proves that those working on UK construction sites have the training and qualifications. The Green Plant Academy allows people to learn how to operate a range of construction vehicles, with a focus on zero and low emission vehicles to help demonstrate innovation and best industry practice.

The Skills Centre, Places for London’s skills partner, has been key to the network of Places for London’s skills academies. The Skills Centre looks for innovative ways to bring training to building developments and shares Places for London’s aim to train those local to the building sites, helping to ensure their communities can play their part in the development of the ever-changing city.

Following their training, learners have gone on to work on developments across the city, including on Places for London’s housing developments and other sites being brought forward by Places for London’s construction and development partners, helping deliver homes and more to London.

Rainbow Moonah did a four-week drylining course with The Skills Centre and Places for London at the Build East Skills Centre and two weeks later she was invited back to apply to be a construction technician, helping the centre prepare tools keeping the yard tidy and ready for training. Now working at the Centre, she’s looking forward to doing more training with Places for London and The Skills Centre, such as mobile plant work and brick laying, as she looks forward to taking the steps to further her career in the construction industry.

Former trainee Michelle Gayle is one of the 4,200 people who has gone on to a career in the industry since her training at the Build East Skills Centre. She attended an all-women construction course recommended by Places for London in 2024, then progressed to hoist training before finding her new career as a hoist operator with property developer Barratt London. She’s found a diverse workforce with women working at all levels and wants to encourage other women into the industry even if they’ve never considered the field before.

Laura Miller, Senior Construction Skills Manager at Places for London, said: “We’re delighted to have reached this amazing milestone. Training ten thousand people is a huge achievement and together we have introduced people to a vast range of new skills and careers, allowing them to leave their mark on the city. As the industry continues to address the skills shortage, we’re helping to provide a new, diverse generation of skilled workers to the built environment sector, who are building the homes London needs.

Jon Howlin, CEO at The Skills Centre, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have supported more than 10,000 learners through our partnership with Places for London and our network of construction skills academies across the capital. This partnership shows what’s possible when training is brought to where it’s needed most — directly into communities, close to major developments, and aligned with real job opportunities. Many of those we’ve trained come from backgrounds that are underrepresented in construction. By opening the door to practical, life-changing careers, we’re not just helping people into work — we’re building a more inclusive, skilled and sustainable workforce for London.

"From pre-employment bootcamps to in-work NVQs and apprenticeships, we’re giving people the tools they need to thrive in a fast-evolving industry — one that urgently needs fresh talent to help deliver the homes and infrastructure we need. 

"The success of this collaborative model has also enabled The Skills Centre to expand into areas like Essex and the West Midlands, where we’re now transforming even more lives across the UK."

Rainbow Moonah, former trainee and Construction Technician at the Build East Skills Centre, said:  “I encourage anyone who’s thinking about going for a role in construction to do it – it’s a vast industry and the training can help you get your foot in the door. I really enjoyed doing this course which has opened up my career to new possibilities and I’m looking forward to doing more!”

Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth, said: “I’m delighted that this pioneering programme has supported 10,000 Londoners to gain new skills and training in construction, with thousands of Londoners securing jobs and careers that will not only help London to grow but deliver more of the homes that we urgently need.

“With the majority of learners coming from underrepresented backgrounds, this programme supports our mission to tackle inequality across key sectors and harness London’s diverse pool of talent as we work to build a better, fairer, more prosperous city for everyone.”

Places for London’s Construction Skills programme has also given schoolchildren work experience placements, and talks, helped adults consider careers they may have never considered previously and helped bring better diversity to the workforce. Through giving Londoners opportunities to learn new skills and find new careers, the Construction Skills Programme gives Londoners opportunities, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and those who are underrepresented in the industry at present. Sixty-five per cent of Places for London’s trainees have come from underrepresented demographics and backgrounds such as women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds, a significant difference to the wider industry where 15 per cent of those in the built environment are women and just six per cent are from ethnic minority communities.¹

Alongside their commitment to diversity, Places for London continuously champions fairness, inclusion and respect across all its work and has a particular focus on retention, encouraging those trained to take the skills they’ve learnt with Places for London and find roles with the many developers and construction firms working across the capital.

According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), an additional 239,300 construction workers will be needed by 2029 to meet expected levels of work². As Places for London continues with its plans to build thousands of homes across London – 50 per cent of which will be affordable – CITB has identified a specific need for 6,200 plant operatives across the capital by 2027. Through doing its best to help reverse that trend and introduce Londoners to the wide range of careers in the industry, carpentry to site inspection and much more, Places for London is showing that there are hundreds of opportunities for those at school and beyond to get involved in. After learning these skills, learners can go on to have fulfilling careers and know that they are helping to address the housing crisis, building the homes London urgently needs.

For more information please see: https://www.placesforlondon.co.uk/skills-and-training