Drive to build 60,000-strong 'army' to fight housing crisis

AN ARMY of new "engineers, brick-ies, sparkies, and chippies" will be trained to address the country's chronic housing shortage.

- By David Williamson CHIEF POLITICAL COMMENTATOR

Up to 60,000 people will gain construction skills by 2029 in a race to tackle skills shortages.

More workers are needed to deliver the Government’s goal of 1.5million more homes before the next election.

New "technical excellence" colleges, apprenticeships and "skills bootcamps" are at the heart of plans for £600million of new funding announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves over the next four years.

Ms Reeves said the Government was "determined to get Britain building again" but added: "None of this is possible without the engineers, brickies, sparkies, and chippies to actually get the work done, which we are facing a massive shortage of.