The government risks missing its housing targets unless more support is directed into home-building careers, according to new analysis by the Home Builders Federation (HBF).

While some 100,000 students are typically enrolled on Further Education construction courses, fewer than 40% progress directly into sector jobs despite rising demand. The HBF estimates that around 239,000 new recruits will be needed within the next five years to meet projected housing need.

At the same time, the existing workforce will have to upskill to meet regulatory changes, including the Future Homes Standard.

Although government initiatives such as Technical Excellence Colleges and apprenticeship reforms have been announced, the HBF argues these measures are not enough.

Industry bodies are already investing heavily: the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has committed £40m to Homebuilding Skills Hubs, and the National Home Building Council (NHBC) is putting £100m into 12 multi-skill training centres focused on trades such as bricklaying, groundwork, and site carpentry.

An HBF spokesperson said: “The home building industry is already stepping up to lead on the skills agenda with many interventions showing results. The updated Home Building Sector Skills Plan provides a long-term approach for attracting, developing and retaining the workforce we need to deliver housing targets. To meet the scale of future ambitions, we need Government and bodies such as the Construction Skills Mission Board to target investment in the right areas and remove the barriers holding back employers.”

The HBF is urging ministers to increase and make more flexible the funding available to Further Education, to strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers.