In January 2026 the UK Government announced it was set to rejoin the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme from January 2027 onwards, restoring a major route for study and training placements across Europe. This agreement will allow reciprocal participation in exchange for students and staff.
The return will boost the construction sector by facilitating the return of European apprentices, trainees, and skilled staff, helping to alleviate long-standing skills shortages. The scheme will restore vital work placements, training opportunities, and professional exchanges across Europe. Unlike the original programme, the expanded Erasmus+ includes not just university students, but also apprentices, further education learners, school pupils, and staff in youth organisations. Finally reopening opportunities that ended when Britain left the scheme with its departure from the EU. The agreement also restores the two-way character, with EU participants able to come to the UK through Erasmus+
Key impacts for the UK construction sector include:
- Addressing Skills Gaps: The return of Erasmus+ provides a structured way to bring in trainees and young professionals, helping to fill labour shortages in specialised construction roles.
- Apprenticeships & Training: The programme specifically covers apprenticeships and vocational education, allowing UK construction apprentices to gain international experience and European apprentices to train in the UK.
- Knowledge Transfer: Renewed partnerships with European institutions will facilitate the exchange of sustainable building techniques, innovative materials, and modern construction methods.
- Increased Mobility: With the removal of post-Brexit barriers for participants, construction firms may find it easier to access skilled European labour for short-term projects and training exchanges.
- The programme, which the government expects to benefit up to 100,000 people across various sectors in its first year, will be crucial for rebuilding construction industry partnerships that were paused after 2021. With an anticipated start in participation being the academic year of 2027/2028.
As the UK Commissioner within Timber Construction Europe (TCE), on behalf of the Institute of Carpenters, I was delighted to announce the UK return, and this news was met from equal warmth from our partners from Germany, Italy, Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland, and France. Over the last 3 years we have developed new and ambitious post Brexit relationships with.
the TCE and strengthened our international readiness and ability to exchange, which will come to fruition with the onset of accelerated development through our ongoing works, proposed for 2027/2028. Our first exchange will be with our IOC partner institution – Holzbau Baden-Wurttemberg in Biberach, our twin college in Germany and home of multiple World Skills Champion Carpenters over the years. The future means our UK IOC college students will be able to participate in the technical and cultural exchange, joining a fantastic programme. I will continue to work with Wolfgang Schafitel on the international training plan, and updates will follow in Cutting Edge publications and our wider communication channels to all our IOC student members, NAS new youth entrant’s, IOC Colleges and all NAS and IOC members who would like to engage or form part of the support teams as we enter Erasmus+ formally.
