Can we future-proof 1.5 Million Homes Without Bridging the Skills Gap?
On Monday 28th September, the Future Homes, Skills and Innovation APPG headed to Labour Party Conference 2026 to tackle the big questions on the future of housing and retrofit on one of the UK’s biggest political stages.
Chaired by our APPG Chair Margaret Mullane MP, we brought together some of the biggest industry leaders in the housing and skills sector to tackle the big challenges facing the sector; how can we build greater early awareness of construction and retrofit careers, support SMEs to increase apprenticeships, implement a ‘whole systems’ approach to skills and build greater workforce resilience to meet the delivery challenges of the future?
Alongside a packed out audience, we were joined by a brilliant panel of expert contributors, including:
Dr Fiona Aldridge, Chief Executive, Skills Federation / Board Member, Skills England
David Hughes CBE, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges
Cllr Carli Harper, Prospective Mayoral Candidate for Norfolk and Suffolk
Sally Orlopp, Deputy Chief Executive, Centrepoint
Emma Leary, Responsible Officer and Executive Director, City & Guilds.
Key Messages
Employer led sector skills bodies are key to articulating skills needs: While individual employers can struggle to become involved in various initiatives, collective organisations can come together to match qualifications and apprenticeships to the real needs on the ground.
Treat housing across the UK as infrastructure: We need to adopt housing into the national infrastructure plan to bring about the long-term, joined up conversations we need in order to grow the talent pipeline and create a coherent strategy for the sector.
Guarantee that work truly pays for young people: Increasing the skills and talent pipeline will require opportunities which enable early talent to be mobile in the sector and grow.
Our chair answers: How do we bridge the skills gap?
The Future Homes Fringe at Labour Party Conference 2026 was kindly sponsored and supported by:
