Friday, November 28, 2025
The UK’s ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions and tackle a noteworthy housing shortage has received a significant boost, with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) awarding £430,000 from its flagship Industry Impact Fund. The substantial funding is earmarked for the development of a comprehensive, industry-led training programme aimed squarely at accelerating the use of timber construction across the nation.
This vital investment will create new career pathways, upskill existing workers, and reskill professionals to meet the burgeoning demand in the high-growth timber sector, particularly in offsite manufacturing and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The programme directly supports the aims of the government-industry partnership, the Timber in Construction Roadmap 2025, launched earlier this year to increase the safe and sustainable use of wood in the built environment.
The successful bid was developed and is being spearheaded by a powerful consortium of industry and academic leaders. It is led by CITB levy-payer Donaldson Offsite, a leading UK manufacturer specialising in timber-based offsite solutions.
The consortium is a clear demonstration of cross-sector commitment, including:
The project, which begins in October 2025 and runs for 24 months, will first conduct a deep analysis of existing training gaps before developing robust, effective, and accredited courses. The ultimate goal is to create clear, professional career pathways focused on the management and on-site delivery of structural timber MMC.
The funding is a direct response to the critical skills shortage facing the wider UK construction industry. As confirmed by CITB research, the sector urgently needs an influx of new talent and advanced training to deliver complex, sustainable projects. The focus on timber is strategic, given its crucial role in decarbonising the built environment. Research shows that the built environment accounts for approximately 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, and timber offers exceptional carbon-sequestering properties.
Vanessa Freeman, Head of Grant and Funding Projects at CITB, emphasised the strategic importance of the collaboration: “CITB is very proud to be working alongside industry partners to support the timber sector to train, develop, and retain its workforce. Timber construction is one of the fastest-growing construction sectors, driven by a need for carbon reduction across the built environment. This funding will help bridge the skills gap… to help the timber sector achieve its potential.”
The project’s impact is expected to be multi-layered:
The training initiative is intrinsically linked to major national policy drivers, including the UK Government’s commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes this Parliament and the forthcoming Future Homes Standard (FHS). The FHS, set to take effect from 2025, will mandate that new homes produce 75-80% fewer carbon emissions than existing standards, a goal that virtually necessitates the adoption of highly efficient, low-carbon building materials and techniques like structural timber MMC.
Alex Goodfellow, CEO of Donaldson Offsite and Chair of the Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI), highlighted the necessity of the investment: “Meeting the UK Government’s ambition for sustainable housing will only be possible if we tackle the growing skills gap. The way to do that is through real investment in people—by improving training, strengthening education, and creating clearer pathways into timber construction.”
He added that the project aims to create a “joined-up approach” that will establish a “more competent, confident and competitive workforce—one that’s ready to deliver the sustainable homes our country needs.”
The educational content developed will be designed for scalability and sustainability, with the ambition of integrating timber construction training into the national education system.
Professor Robert Hairstans, from Edinburgh Napier and NMITE, who chairs the Timber in Construction Skills Group, noted the collaborative, needs-driven approach: “This project has been developed hand in hand with the sector and its agencies to ensure it aligns with industry need. The ambition is to create a scalable and sustainable model that integrates timber construction training into the national education system, ensuring the industry can meet future demands.”
Over the two years, the project will establish new courses and integrate them with accredited programmes, leveraging regional training centres, CITB-accredited organisations, colleges, and universities across the UK. This network expansion will build upon existing, successful offerings like the NMITE Timber Technology Engineering and Design short courses and the Structural Timber Association Installer Training Scheme.
Crucially, the educational materials will be developed in alignment with established professional standards and qualifications, including the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) competence framework for project managers and the TDUK Skills Action Plan. By establishing regional hubs and training trainers, the consortium is creating a scalable and future-ready model to ensure the UK workforce is equipped to deliver the high-quality, low-carbon homes of tomorrow.
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Tags: CITB funding, net-zero construction, timber construction, Timber in Construction Roadmap, UK skills gap, workforce upskilling
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