Building Futures at Wembley: A New Chapter for LSST’s Further Education & Skills Provision
Building Futures at Wembley: A New Chapter for LSST’s Further Education & Skills Provision
At the opening of the LSST Construction and Training Centre, the Mayor of Brent met LSST cohorts on the Painting and Decorating Skills Bootcamp, recognising learner commitment and dedication. Photo: LSST.
By Matt Garvey, Head of Further Education and Business Development, LSST Wembley
There are moments in education when ambition meets action—when vision becomes tangible and opportunity takes physical form. The opening of LSST’s new Construction Centre in Wembley is one such moment.
The new LSST Construction Training Centre marks the start of a major £1 million investment in skills, opportunity and local economic growth. By providing essential construction skills in the heart of a regeneration centre, we are matching the ambitions of our learners to the ambitions of a great world city.
Latest forecasts from the Construction Industry Training Board indicate that the industry will need to recruit approximately 239,000 additional workers between 2025 and 2029—around 47,900 new entrants per year—to meet projected demand and replace leavers: retirees and those moving to other sectors (CITB, 2025). With women, ethnic minority groups, those with a disability, and the younger and older ends of the age spectrum underrepresented in the sector, LSST can play a part in meeting these skills demands.
Why LSST’s Construction Training Centre
The LSST Construction Training Centre is our answer to the challenge of widening participation in the sector. It is a purpose-built environment designed to prepare learners with high-quality skills. It is also set in a culture that is accessible and friendly, opening doors to people who may have previously been denied opportunities to acquire skills and get their foot on the construction sector ladder.
Through our Skills Bootcamp in Painting & Decorating, LSST is making the first step in a journey that will add plastering, tiling and multi-trades to the suite of opportunities available. This Skills Bootcamp is funded by the Greater London Authority alongside the LSST Management & Finance programme, which won the Distinguished Provider of Adult Education Award from the Mayor of London.
The Painting & Decorating Skills Bootcamp: A Direct Route into Employment
This is a high-quality, hands-on programme that also combines the CSCS Green Card. LSST has built strong links with key employers in the sector and also provides guidance for learners to become self-employed. Our learners develop practical competence from highly qualified tutors who have worked in the sector. This is complemented by talks from employers and support in securing work.
Those currently on our Bootcamp are often:
1. Seeking a career change into a reliable and respected trade 2. Returning to the workforce after a break (like caring) 3. Those with experience but no structured specialist training
As many of our learners face obstacles to participation, LSST pays a £15 daily allowance to overcome financial obstacles, plus free breakfast and lunch to make learners feel valued and supported.
More Than Skills – Confidence and Career Direction
Every Skills Bootcamp learner has a guaranteed interview with a construction employer. We also provide support for learners to become self-employed, widening their options once the training programme has finished. Our first cohort has already begun attending apprenticeship interviews and providing quotes for self-employed contracts. It demonstrates the real purpose and impact of the LSST provision, which is to move learners quickly into work.
Apply Now – Build Something That Lasts
Opportunities in construction do not wait—and neither should ambition. Places on the Painting & Decorating Skills Bootcamp are limited, and demand is high. I encourage anyone considering a future in construction, or seeking a practical route into stable, meaningful employment, to apply now. LSST can only meet the demand that the funding from the GLA permits, and all Skills Bootcamps must conclude their training by 31 March 2026.
London is a place that never stands still, and that is as true for the skyline as the people who live here. However, not everyone enjoys the opportunity to participate in the renewal of the city, and that is where LSST comes in. We unlock the potential of citizens who, for too long, have been told construction is not for them. By offering accessible and high-quality training, our Skills Bootcamps are enriching the sector and giving new hope to all communities in this great city.
This is your moment. Build it with LSST.
Apply now via: www.lsst.ac/fe.
Reference
Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), 2025. Construction Workforce Outlook 2025–2029. [Online] Peterborough: CITB. Available at: https://www.citb.co.uk/about-citb/news-events-and-blogs/over-250-000-extra-construction-workers-required-by-2028-to-meet-demand [Accessed 23 January 2026].