CITB’s newly published Business Plan for 2026–27 represents a significant shift in how construction skills funding and workforce development will be approached over the coming years.
At the centre of the Plan is a much stronger focus on competence, workforce capability and productivity. CITB has clearly recognised that the construction skills challenge is no longer simply about increasing training numbers — it is about developing a more competent workforce that can meet future demands safely, efficiently and productively.
For the masonry sector, this shift is broadly positive.
The masonry industry has already invested considerable time and effort into developing structured routes to occupational competence, and the completion of the Bricklaying Competency Framework places the sector in a strong position as these changes begin to take effect.
The framework demonstrates that competence is not achieved through a single qualification or apprenticeship route alone. Instead, it creates clear pathways that combine qualifications, practical experience, specialist training, CPD and ongoing workforce development throughout an individual’s career.
Importantly, the framework recognises the role that specialist training plays in developing occupational competence. The competency pathway includes a wide range of practical training interventions covering areas such as masonry systems, movement joints, fire safety, materials, tolerances, repair techniques and modern methods of construction.
This means the masonry sector already has clearly defined routes that align strongly with CITB’s stated ambition of creating a more competent workforce.
The Business Plan also places greater emphasis on employer-led skills planning, new entrant development and workforce retention. These are all areas where masonry businesses continue to face significant challenges, particularly around recruitment, productivity and maintaining workforce capacity across an ageing labour market.
Encouragingly, CITB continues to invest heavily in apprenticeships, new entrants and competence frameworks, while also committing to greater transparency around delivery and performance.
The challenge now moves from strategy to implementation.
For specialist sectors such as masonry, the priority will be ensuring that future funding models, sector skills plans and competency approaches continue to recognise the specific needs of specialist trades and supply chains.
The masonry sector is well placed to respond.
Through the National Masonry Academy, the industry already has the ability to deliver the training, qualifications and competency pathways contained within the Bricklaying Competency Framework, providing employers with practical routes to workforce development that align with the direction of travel set out within the Business Plan.
The Masonry Association of Great Britain welcomes the increased focus on competence and will continue working with CITB and industry partners to ensure masonry businesses across the supply chain remain fully represented as these changes develop.
The future skills challenge facing construction is significant. The masonry sector has already begun building the solutions.
