Thousands of young people in the West Midlands are set to benefit from new training opportunities in construction following a fresh government funding announcement.

Dudley College of Technology has been named one of ten National Centres for Technical Excellence for Construction (CTEC), tasked with developing skills in trades including building, bricklaying, engineering, surveying, plumbing, plastering and electrical work. Training will also cover green technologies such as solar panel installation and retrofit projects.

The CTEC network will share £100 million of government funding over the next four years, working with major employers, professional bodies and other education providers across the West Midlands to ensure the benefits reach the whole region.

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The investment comes as demand grows for a new generation of construction workers to meet housing and industrial needs, including the delivery of Mayor Richard Parker’s Growth Plan, which sets a target of 120,000 new homes over the next decade, thousands of them social housing. The Mayor has also secured £2.4 billion for expanding transport networks, including new Metro, rail and bus routes.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: "Dudley has a proud history of making and building and this new status for Dudley College will help make sure it has a proud future too.

"Construction is vital to our economy and infrastructure - and it offers young people the skills to build a career in a sector that's in demand.

"I'm pleased the government has committed this investment and I'll be working with them, Dudley College and local employers to make sure it delivers opportunities for people across the Black Country and the wider region."