A network of 17 construction colleges across Yorkshire and the Humber has become the first regional education partnership to join the Supply Chain Sustainability School, in a move designed to strengthen sustainability and skills training for the future construction workforce.
The initiative will see colleges within the region’s Construction Technical Excellence Colleges (CTEC) network gain access to industry-developed learning resources and professional development opportunities, linking further education providers more closely with the construction supply chain.
The partnership is the first of its kind for the Supply Chain Sustainability School, which works with more than 225 industry partners and supports learning across the UK construction sector.
Supporting construction skills and net zero ambitions
The agreement has been established through a partnership between the Supply Chain Sustainability School and Leeds College of Building (LCB), which is the lead partner for the Yorkshire and Humber CTEC network.
The Department for Education introduced the CTEC programme to help address skills shortages in key sectors, with only 10 colleges across England selected for the 2025/26 academic year.
Ministers expect the initiative to help train an additional 40,000 workers by 2029 to support housing, infrastructure and green energy projects.
Under the agreement, the 17 colleges will join the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s Future Workforce Sector, giving staff and students access to more than 4,000 sustainability resources, training materials and industry guidance, while strengthening links with employers and built environment organisations.
Industry and education collaboration
The Supply Chain Sustainability School already works with major infrastructure programmes, including HS2, National Highways and Sizewell C, supporting supply chain capability and sustainable construction practices.
Rob Holmes, Vice Principal Curriculum, Quality and Innovation at Leeds College of Building, said: “We’re delighted to announce this groundbreaking agreement with the Supply Chain Sustainability School. A core aim of the CTEC hub-and-spoke model is to give local training providers access to construction expertise, resources, and industry knowledge that might otherwise be out of reach. This initiative is a perfect example of that vision in action.
“This creative collaboration supports Department for Education priorities, positions Yorkshire and the Humber at the forefront of sustainable further education, and reinforces the region’s ambition to lead the transition to a low-carbon future.”
Holly Hansen-Maughan, Senior Growth and Sectors Manager at the Supply Chain Sustainability School, added: “As a result of the Yorkshire & Humber CTEC, partner colleges will now be able to tap in to over 4,000 sustainability resources, expert training, best practice guidance, and a sector-leading network of over 50,000 active members. “
“This project is a brilliant example of education and industry working in tandem to drive sustainability knowledge in the built environment.”
Focus on future workforce skills
The partnership reflects the construction sector’s increasing focus on embedding sustainability and net zero principles into workforce training, as the industry prepares to deliver major housing, infrastructure and retrofit programmes.
Alongside the new agreement, the Supply Chain Sustainability School is hosting a training session at Leeds College of Building’s South Bank Campus in July aimed at construction SMEs and the CTEC college network.
The event will explore the workforce capabilities required for low-carbon construction projects and feature contributions from organisations including Mitsubishi Electric, Mott MacDonald and Leeds College of Building, with training supported through the Construction Industry Training Board’s Industry Impact Fund.
