Leicestershire apprentice named Apprentice of the Year as house building sector faces 239,000 worker shortfall
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 21 March 2026
UPDATED: 23 March 2026
A teenage apprentice from Leicestershire has been recognised as one of the UK’s brightest rising stars in house building, as the industry faces a major skills shortage.
Jack Hart, 19, from Ibstock, has been named NHBC Bricklaying Level Three Apprentice of the Year at the National House Building Council’s (NHBC) annual Apprentice of the Year Awards, held in Milton Keynes today.
The awards come at a critical time for the sector, which is forecast to need more than 239,000 additional workers by 2029, just to keep up with current demand and deliver 1.5 million new homes this Parliament.
Jack trained at an NHBC Apprenticeship Training Hub and is now bricklaying on site while also supporting future apprentices entering the trade.
Speaking about his achievement, Jack said:
“I’d recommend an apprenticeship in house building to anyone. It’s a great way to learn and there’s plenty of work out there. Training at an NHBC hub helped me develop high quality bricklaying skills, learning from industry experts in real site conditions from day one.
“I’ve really valued the training I’ve received from NHBC, which sets the gold standard for house building, and I’m delighted to have won this award. Earning while learning really appealed to me. People are often surprised to hear that the average bricklayer earns £50,000 a year. It’s a well-paid, varied career with real opportunities to progress.”
“I’m now out on site bricklaying and I’m also the main point of contact for my company’s future bricklaying apprentices, which I’m really passionate about as I want to support the next generation of house builders.”
The recognition highlights the vital role apprentices like Jack are playing in helping to address the construction industry’s growing skills gap.
NHBC is investing £100 million in a national network of 12 multi skill apprenticeship training hubs across the UK. These hubs will train 3,000 apprentices each year in key trades including bricklaying, groundworks and site carpentry.
Darryl Stewart, Head of Commercial at NHBC and responsible for NHBC’s Training Hubs and apprenticeships programme, said:
“Congratulations to Jack, he truly deserves this recognition. It is fantastic to see such talent coming into house building at a time when it is needed more than ever.
“The challenge is clear. We need thousands more skilled tradespeople to build the homes the country needs, and apprenticeships are a key part of the solution.
“That’s why NHBC is investing £100 million in a national network of training hubs, training 3,000 apprentices each year in the trades most in demand. Our immersive programmes are getting people site ready faster, with many qualifying in as little as 14 months, almost twice as fast as traditional routes that can take up to 30 months.
“But training alone isn’t enough. We also need builders and subcontractors to take on apprentices so they can gain real experience on site. Building just 10,000 homes requires around 2,500 bricklayers, 2,500 groundworkers and 1,000 carpenters, roles that remain among the most in demand.
“By working together, we can help tackle the skills shortage and support the delivery of quality homes.”
For more information, visit Apprenticeships | NHBC.
