Housing Boss Calls for More Funding to Boost Construction Jobs for Young People

A housing association chief has called for a long-term plan and extra funding to create more construction placements for young people, as demand for training schemes rises, BBC reported. Iwan Trefor Jones, chief executive at Adra, said organisations needed to work together to ensure opportunities were available, while Adra said one recent academy opening drew 108 applicants for six places. The Federation of Master Builders has said the construction sector faces a labour shortfall and needs an additional 2,200 workers a year to meet demand. The Welsh government said work was already under way to boost construction skills, with new apprenticeships due to launch later in the year. Adra’s Academi scheme, launched in 2021, has supported 230 participants so far, and local college Grŵp Llandrillo Menai said construction enrolment had risen 28% since 2025-26 to a record 461 learners this year.