As Graham Hasting-Evans, Chief Executive of NOCN Group and President of the British Association of Construction Heads (BACH), explains: “These concerns are why BACH, of which I am proud to serve as President, has today written to the Prime Minister, Chancellor, and Secretaries of State. As a leading organisation in construction skills, NOCN Group fully supports this letter because we share the same commitment to safeguarding quality, competency, and pathways into skilled employment.”

In the open letter, BACH outlined deep concerns about the recently published White Paper. The organisation argues that the proposals risk weakening the skills pipeline, reducing workforce competency, and creating barriers for disadvantaged learners. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs - key drivers of the sector) could also be deterred from participating, further eroding employer confidence.

“Construction is not a single trade—it is a complex ecosystem spanning house building, civil engineering, building services, and green technologies,” said Graham Hasting-Evans, Chief Executive of NOCN Group and President of BACH. “Treating it as one-dimensional risks jeopardising pathways to skilled employment and undermining employer confidence.”

Read the full letter here

The letter emphasises that while innovation and efficiency in skills delivery are welcome, reforms must be grounded in a deep understanding of the sector. He warned that failing to do so could derail national priorities such as building safety and achieving net-zero targets.

Concerns Over the White Paper

BACH has raised several critical concerns about the Government’s proposed reforms. Firstly, the organisation argues that the proposals demonstrate a lack of understanding of the construction sector’s complexity. Construction is not a single trade but a diverse industry that includes house building, civil engineering, building services, and emerging areas such as clean energy and green technologies. Ignoring these nuances risks leaving the sector ill-prepared for future challenges.

Secondly, there are serious worries about quality assurance. The suggested changes could reduce oversight and rely too heavily on sampling, which may lead to lower standards across apprenticeship programmes. This, in turn, could undermine employer confidence and compromise the competency of the workforce.

Finally, BACH highlights the omission of critical occupational standards and pathways within the White Paper. These gaps threaten to disrupt established routes into skilled employment, particularly in construction and infrastructure roles that are essential for national priorities like housing and net-zero targets.

For over 40 years, BACH has represented construction education leaders, working closely with employers and training providers to maintain high-quality skills development. Both BACH and NOCN Group are urging policymakers to engage meaningfully with industry experts to safeguard competency, safety, and productivity.

“The UK needs a world-class apprenticeship system to achieve its ambitions on building safety and net-zero,” Hasting-Evans concluded. “Anything less is unacceptable.”