LSST Launches New Construction Training Centre to Boost London’s Skills Pipeline
By Kunal Chan Mehta | Article Date: 27 January 2026
LSST has officially unveiled its new Construction Training Centre in Wembley (London), marking the start of a major £1 million investment in skills, opportunity and local economic growth. Based at LSST’s Wembley High Road Campus, the purpose-built, LSST-funded facility has been established to address acute construction skills shortages and widen participation across Brent and the wider London area, creating clear progression routes for local talent into sustainable employment while supporting employers with job-ready talent.
Funded by the Greater London Authority (GLA), Skills Bootcamps are helping to shape the future of London, and LSST, as a delivery partner, is proud to support this investment in construction training.
The new centre, developed to support local regeneration while remaining accessible to Londoners city-wide, opens with LSST’s first GLA-funded Skills Bootcamp in Painting and Decorating, welcoming an inaugural cohort of 15 adult learners from across London. The facility combines a dedicated theory classroom, modern changing and locker rooms, and a fully equipped construction training area, offering learners a professional, work-ready environment aligned with employer demand.
LSST is expanding its offering with painting, plastering, tiling and multi-trade programmes, helping adults into employment and self-employment. The provision aims to directly support regeneration priorities in Brent and neighbouring boroughs, where over 8,500 new homes are planned by 2027, backed by more than £2.5 billion in investment and a growing demand for skilled trades across all stages of construction.
Brent’s Commitment to Construction, Community and Careers
Opening the centre, the Mayor of the London Borough of Brent, Councillor Ryan Hack, said: “It is a great privilege to open LSST’s Construction Training Centre – a facility that will not only deliver essential, work-aligned skills to learners, but will also strengthen our capacity to grow, innovate and compete in one of the UK’s most vital economic sectors.”
“This Centre is more than bricks and mortar. It is a commitment to community, to opportunity, and to unlocking the talents and potential that already exist across this borough. By equipping learners with high-quality, employment-focused training, LSST is helping to fill critical skills gaps while empowering individuals with the confidence and competence to build careers that drive growth across the UK.”
Barry Gardiner MP for Brent West said: “The opening of LSST’s Construction Training Centre is a welcome and necessary boost to our national drive to tackle skills shortages and strengthen employment in one of the most vital sectors of our economy. By equipping learners with high-quality, work-aligned training, LSST is not only filling crucial gaps in the construction workforce but also empowering individuals with careers that will drive growth across the UK. I commend LSST’s commitment to expanding opportunity and building confidence in tomorrow’s workforce.”
Krupesh Hirani AM, London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow, said: “LSST’s ambition and impact are truly inspiring. Their commitment to transforming lives was recently recognised at City Hall, where they won the ‘Distinguished Provider of Adult Education’ award at the Mayor of London’s Adult Learning Awards. By tackling the skills gap head-on and providing clear pathways into work, LSST is proving itself as a driving force for opportunity and growth across Brent and beyond.”
Cllr Muhammed Butt, Labour Leader of Brent Council, said: “I am proud to see this new Construction Training Centre open in Wembley, at the heart of one of the fastest growing parts of our borough. Brent is a place that builds not just homes, but futures, and this centre captures that ambition perfectly.”
Cllr Mili Patel, Deputy Leader of Brent Council, said: “I am proud to see the opening of LSST’s Construction Training Centre in Wembley, which represents a vital step in tackling skills shortages while creating real opportunities for local people. By delivering high-quality, work-aligned training and clear pathways into employment, LSST is strengthening the construction workforce and transforming lives. This centre connects residents directly to the regeneration taking place on their doorstep, helping them build lasting careers, support their families and contribute to the future growth of Brent and beyond.”
Across Wembley, Neasden, Staples Corner and Alperton, we are delivering transformational regeneration with thousands of new homes coming forward. But the true measure of success is what that means for people. A good job, a real skill, a chance to provide for your family and build something lasting for the next generation.
This centre gives residents that opportunity. It links local people directly to the work being created on their doorstep and to the enduring legacy of house building in Brent. We are proud to be a borough that builds houses and opportunities, side by side.”
Optimism for Construction Growth
Mr Ali Jafar Zaidi, CEO of LSST, said: “With so many skills shortages, it is time for the construction industry to be repaired and built back itself. I couldn’t be prouder to see our centre open because we know that skills change lives. By aligning high-quality training with real labour market needs, LSST is creating clear routes into sustainable employment while supporting London’s long-term growth.”
Charlie Tennant, Vice Principal of LSST, added: “This centre embodies our philosophy that confidence and capability are cultivated through access to the right facilities, expert teaching and training, and meaningful opportunities. It is designed to equip learners not just to qualify, but to thrive.”
Matt Garvey, Head of Further Education and Business Development at LSST, said: “Skills Bootcamps for underrepresented groups offer access into the construction sector. As we move forward, we aim to achieve gender parity among our cohorts of learners and to have strong representation of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds, those at different ends of the age spectrum, and applicants with disabilities. In partnership with the GLA and employers, we shall make construction skills more accessible and representative of the wider community in London and beyond.”
“We have exciting plans for this centre and hope to expand into multi-trades, tiling and plastering. LSST Wembley sits in the middle of a huge regeneration area for Brent and neighbouring areas, so the opening of any new construction training centre is rare and signifies a huge capital investment by LSST in the people of London and priority skills.”
Severe and Sustained Shortage of Skilled Workers
The UK construction sector continues to experience a severe and sustained shortage of skilled workers. 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).
In 2024, construction employment stood at around 2.65 million, with the workforce expected to rise modestly towards 2.75 million by the end of the decade, intensifying pressure on recruitment and training pipelines (CITB, 2025). Despite its scale, the sector continues to report some of the highest skills-shortage vacancy rates in the UK, particularly in skilled trades and technical roles (Construction News, 2025).
Widening participation
LSST is partnering with employers to widen participation and employment in construction for groups underrepresented in the sector, including women, individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds, adults aged under 25 and 50+ and those who identify as disabled. This approach stresses LSST’s commitment to building a construction industry that reflects the communities it serves, empowering underrepresented groups to thrive in rewarding careers and contribute to the UK’s much-overlooked infrastructure growth.
The opening of LSST’s Construction Training Centre represents a major milestone in LSST’s ongoing commitment to delivering industry-aligned education and training, supporting local regeneration and strengthening London’s construction workforce.
Apply to LSST’s Construction Training Centre programmes at www.lsst.ac/fe.
References
Builders’ Merchants News (2025) ‘Apprenticeship shortfall threatens government housebuilding pledge’, Builders’ Merchants News, 2025.
Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) (2025) Construction Workforce Outlook 2025–2029. Peterborough: CITB.
Construction News (2025) ‘Construction needs almost 50,000 extra workers a year to meet demand’, Construction News, 18 June.
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