The funding forms part of a £96 million national programme to create hands-on placements for students starting construction courses from September.
It sits within the Government’s wider £625 million Construction Skills Package, which aims to train 60,000 skilled workers by 2029.
The announcement is significant for Swindon, where thousands of homes are planned alongside town centre regeneration and infrastructure projects.
Nationally, the construction sector has more than 35,000 vacancies, with over half linked to skills shortages.
Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said:
“We’re removing the snobbery from hands-on learning and putting it on par with academic to break down barriers for young people to get rewarding jobs.”
The Government is also introducing new vocational routes after GCSEs, including V Levels, T Levels, Occupational Certificates and Foundation Certificates.
From 2028, new construction-related subjects will include construction design, bricklaying and plumbing.
In the South West, the providers named as part of the qualification pioneer group are The Cornwall College Group, Yeovil College and Callywith College.
It is not yet clear whether local providers in Swindon will directly benefit from the funding.
Matt Butcher, VP Commercial Skills and Partnerships at New College Swindon, welcomed the announcement. He said:
“The Government’s Construction Skills Package is a welcome step in helping address national shortages, and at New College Swindon we are ideally placed to support this effort through the expertise and industry experience of our construction and trades lecturers and cutting edge and industry relevant facilities.
“By working alongside employers and wider training providers, we can help develop a highly skilled, work-ready local workforce ready to meet industry demand, while also ensuring there are meaningful career opportunities in Swindon for a growing population.”
