CIBSE, along with over 70 leading organisations from across the built environment sector have signed a letter coordinated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), calling on the Government to raise the age for Level 7 apprenticeship funding to 25 years old for engineers and built environment professionals.
The group, including industry bodies, businesses, employers and academic institutions, warns that to drive growth, a dynamic and highly skilled workforce is essential. Level 7 engineers and built environment apprentices are a vital part of this workforce, but the Government’s recent policy change, which cuts off funding for Level 7 apprentices over the age of 21, directly contradicts this.
In the joint letter submitted to the Secretaries of State at both the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education, signatories highlight that without raising the age for funding we will:
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Weaken the talent pipeline needed to deliver Government priorities on housebuilding, net zero, and new towns.
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Limit diversity within the sector, as apprenticeships allow those with additional responsibilities, such as family or caring commitments, to earn while they learn.
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Reduce the sector’s ability to help two-thirds of young people to get higher-level skills.
Signatories include leading organisations such as the RIBA, Royal Town Planning Institute, the Design Council, and the University of Cambridge alongside other professional institutions and private firms.
The letter has also been supported by Parliamentarians, with Sarah Gibson MP stating: “Raising the age limit for Level 7 apprenticeship funding to 25 is a simple, practical step the Government can take right now to protect the skills pipeline our built environment urgently needs. Cutting off support at 21 will shut out talented people, undermine diversity, and weaken our ability to deliver new homes and meet net zero. The sector is speaking with one voice: this policy must change.”
CIBSE Chief Executive Office, Ruth Carter said: “As an accredited training provider, CIBSE supports efforts to strengthen the skills pipeline across the built environment, particularly at a time when the sector faces real shortages. Expanding funding eligibility for Level 7 apprenticeships to age 25 would enable more young people to access high-quality professional training routes into engineering and building services careers – vital to delivering the Government’s ambitions on housing, infrastructure and sustainability.”
In addition to CIBSE’s accredited apprenticeship pathways, we are actively expanding support for young engineers and apprentices entering the profession. Through our network of university and college partnerships, our Young Engineers Awards, and new early-career training modules in digital engineering, building safety and low-carbon design, we are helping more young people develop the capabilities employers need. We are also working with industry to ensure apprentices have clear, practical routes into building services engineering roles, with structured mentoring and access to CIBSE membership from the very start of their careers.