Skills are central to the government’s Plan for Change. Whether to deliver economic growth, create high-quality jobs across the country or accelerate housing delivery, the skills of built-environment sector professionals are integral – and maintaining the skills pipeline is critical.
The government’s decision to defund Level 7 apprenticeships for those over 21 undermines its own growth ambitions. RIBA, along with more than 70 organisations, businesses and academic institutions across the built environment sector, is calling for the eligibility for Level 7 apprenticeship funding for built-environment professions to be raised to 25.
From 1 January 2026, the Growth and Skills Levy – formerly the Apprenticeship Levy, introduced in 2017 to support employers to invest in high-quality apprentice training and ensure sustainable funding for employers of all sizes – no longer funds Level 7 apprenticeships for apprentices over 21.
Removing funding will see organisations across the built-environment sector, including architecture practices, no longer able to access funding to train the new talent we need from diverse backgrounds. Skills England has highlighted just how important this is. In its initial assessment of skills-related barriers to growth, it noted that the government’s growth ambitions will increase the demand for architects, engineers, planners and surveyors.
Construction is one of the largest sectors in the UK economy, with a turnover of £370bn and contributing £138bn in value to the UK economy. While the impact will be felt sector-wide, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly exposed to these changes. The sector is dominated by SMEs, including the majority of architecture practices, and many have relied on levy funding to employ and train apprentices. Without this funding, their ability to take on apprentices and invest in new talent will be severely restricted.
We know that young people are central to building a resilient and productive labour market, and the government is clearly committed to promoting apprenticeships for young people. Given its pledge that two thirds of young people will participate in higher-level learning – whether academic, technical or apprenticeships – by age 25, restricting funding for Level 7 apprenticeships feels fundamentally contradictory when many won’t reach this level until after that age.
The ambition to invest in people at the start of their careers is welcome – however, it does not work with the reality of architectural education. Given the length of training, many aspiring architects will be ineligible by the time they reach Level 7, whether they progress through four-year Level 6 apprenticeships or follow the traditional three-year undergraduate degree route – many will be over the age limit, leaving them ineligible for support from the Growth and Skills Levy.
For me, the architecture profession will only be as strong as the new architects joining it. One of the highlights of my first four months as president was presenting the RIBA President’s Medals, our student awards, meeting talented, energetic students from RIBA-accredited courses. What struck me most was the diversity of those aspiring architects, and if we are to widen access, and avoid a narrowing of the talent pipeline, our profession must be open to people from all walks of life.
This means attracting students from diverse backgrounds, supporting those with family or caring responsibilities, and encouraging alternative routes into the profession. Level 7 apprenticeships provide a genuinely accessible pathway into the built environment at a time when demand for skills is growing.
I cannot help but feel that if those responsible for removing Level 7 funding had seen these students and their work, they would have made a different decision. Architecture apprentices have told us directly about the value this route brings by making it possible to train without taking on debt, while gaining essential professional skills. The ability of apprentices to access financial independence, high-quality on-the- job learning, and the support of mentors and colleagues alongside formal study, illustrate why protecting this pathway is so crucial for the future of the profession.
The built environment sector is ready to work with the government to turn its ambitions into reality. But as we’ve seen, achieving these goals depends on a strong, diverse and highly skilled workforce. Raising the age of eligibility for apprenticeship funding for built-environment professionals is one key mechanism to ensure the sector can meet demand for homes, infrastructure and well-designed places.
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