MAYOR Steve Rotheram today signed a 1st-of-its-kind training agreement to tackle an estimated shortfall of 9,000 building workers in the Liverpool City Region.

The landmark collaboration between the Combined Authority (CA) and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) marks a major step forward in ensuring the Region has the skilled workforce needed to deliver ambitious housing, retrofit and infrastructure projects.

A memorandum of understanding was signed at a £22m apartment project being built by housing association Torus in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle, supported by £960,000 from the CA's Brownfield Land Fund.

It is the 1st formal partnership under the CITB’s new national initiative to create a connected Construction Skills Ecosystem across England, aligning national and regional priorities

The agreement allows the CA to analyse live data from building sites across the region to pinpoint skills gaps and train the estimated 9,000 extra workers needed over the next 5 years.

A new Construction Workforce Development Unit will also be created to act as a broker between public authorities, employers and training providers. The pilot scheme will be tested and could be rolled out to other regional authorities.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "The Liverpool City Region has successfully won huge sums of funding to deliver some of the most ambitious housing and infrastructure projects in the country. From a £700m housing programme which will deliver 16,000 homes, to HyNet energy, as well as 4 new train stations. But to deliver on these plans, we need a skilled, diverse workforce. This partnership with CITB is a 1st for any Mayoral Combined Authority and shows the leadership role we’re taking to tackle skills shortages head-on. Together, we’ll create better opportunities for local people, improve apprenticeship success rates, and embed fair employment and inclusion in construction.”

CITB Chief Executive Tim Balcon said:- "This agreement marks a major step forward in aligning national and regional priorities to meet the construction sector’s challenges. By working closely with the Liverpool City Region, we can ensure training provision and workforce planning are responsive to local needs, helping employers and communities thrive."

The Government has pledged to build 1.5 million new homes in England by 2029.

Under the programme, the City Region recently received its single biggest investment into housing with £700m to build new social and affordable homes.

In June, Mayor Rotheram joined the Construction Skills Mission Board, representing metro mayors across England and aimed at recruiting an additional 100,000 construction workers annually.

This year, the Combined Authority is investing a record £68m funding adult skills, Further Education colleges and training providers – including £12m for Skills Bootcamps.

Colleges have developed cutting-edge training facilities – including a green energy skills centre and a modular building project. Last year, an investment of £2.4m saw more than 2,500 students studying construction, planning and the built environment.

The CITB is to work alongside Mayoral Combined Authorities, starting with Liverpool City Region, to improve long-term workforce planning and investment in construction skills.

These partnerships will form the foundation of a National Construction Skills Ecosystem, supported by a new Construction Mayoral National Network and culminating in the 1st National Construction Skills Summit in 2026.