'Huge' demand for construction industry courses

There has been a "significant" increase in demand from prospective students for construction courses, said the principal of a further education college in Cornwall.

Truro & Penwith College is among those to have received funding from Cornwall Council's Shared Prosperity Fund to develop courses in skills like bricklaying and carpentry.

The college said it "couldn't keep up with demand" from both young people interested in studying and developers needing to hire more skilled labour.

It comes as Cornwall has seen its annual housebuilding target increased to 4,421 homes a year as part of plans the government argued would "restore the dream of homeownership".

College Principal Martin Tucker described demand from both young people and the construction industry as "huge" and said it had expanded their facilities accordingly.

"It's great to see these young people coming in and learning the skills, which allow them to be employable and to make a real difference to the industry.

"Three quarters of construction businesses have said in the last 12 months they've struggled on recruitment so we've got to help them with that."

The college said about 400 students and apprentices were currently doing courses in construction there.

Jack Blamey, 16, started learning bricklaying in September and hoped it would be the springboard to a successful career in the industry.

He said: "There are a lot of jobs where it's very difficult to get into. Here, I know that whatever I do there will always be some work for me. I wouldn't want to leave Cornwall."

Rio Tengrave, 18, a second year carpentry student, said the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence had influenced his decision on what to study: "I don't think AI could work in this trade - so tradespeople will always have work."

Labour has increased annual housebuilding targets for local authorities to help solve the housing crisis nationwide.

Cornwall Council warned it would be difficult to meet its target - but said an appeal to lower its figure had been rebuffed.

Councillor Peter La Broy, portfolio holder for housing on Cornwall Council, said: "It was a polite no. We do have a housing crisis in Cornwall. To actually get up to that target is going to be a big, big challenge."

However, he said he was "grateful" for the work of local colleges to train the next generation of construction workers.

"The skills gap is a big problem. The average age of a construction worker in Cornwall is somewhere in the mid-to-late 50s, so we need to inspire a new generation of people to come into the construction industry," Bray added.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: "We're building the 1.5 million homes this country needs so it's right that Cornwall plays its part to help restore the dream of homeownership for local people.

"Our housing targets will mean more homes are built in the right places, and we're getting spades in the ground with our major planning reforms and record £39bn investment in social and affordable housing."

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.