With around a third of the highways and transportation workforce aged 55 and over, attracting and developing the next generation of skilled workers is critical to the future of the industry. To help tackle this growing skills gap, we are set to launch the Highway Electrical Maintenance and Installation Operative apprenticeship from September 2026.
This programme will provide apprentices with a direct pathway to a vital sector and supports employers with the skilled workforce needed to maintain the UK's transport infrastructure.
As demand for highways electrical apprenticeships continues to grow, major infrastructure company McCann identified the need for additional training provision to help meet the region's future workforce requirements. In response, McCann brought together leading employers from across the highways sector to explore potential solutions, and we subsequently introduced the new apprenticeship to our curriculum.
The collaboration demonstrates how further education can do more than respond to skills shortages; it can lead the partnerships that address them. By working alongside businesses like McCann, Amey, Crown Highways, Colas, Kier and Lantra, we have ensured our delivery of the apprenticeship is informed by current industry practice, helping learners develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours employers require from day one.
For students, this is far more than a qualification. Apprentices will earn while they learn, gain hands-on experience in a real working environment and train alongside leading employers, opening the door to long-term careers maintaining the street lighting, traffic signals and intelligent transport systems that keep Britain's roads safe and moving.
The apprenticeship is the latest milestone in our investment in the future of engineering and electrical education. Following the opening of our state-of-the-art Engineering and Electrical Centre in 2025, we have continued to strengthen partnerships with employers, using industry insight and employer advisory boards to shape technical education that reflects real workforce needs.
The need for initiatives like this has never been greater. EngineeringUK estimates the UK will require around 173,000 additional engineers and technicians each year to meet future workforce demand.
"Adding this apprenticeship to our offer represents the very best of employer and education collaboration. As skills needs continue to evolve across the highways sector, it is essential that training provision remains aligned to industry requirements. By working closely with employers, we have developed a delivery model that reflects current industry requirements and addresses both current and future skills needs, while creating meaningful opportunities for individuals entering the profession."
- Maxine Blake, Head of Industries at Nottingham College
"To tackle skills shortages in the highways sector, employers and education providers must work together. As both Strategic Highways Director at McCann and a member of Nottingham College's Engineering Advisory Board, I am incredibly proud to be part of a partnership that challenges the norm. By bringing industry and education together, we can create better opportunities for learners, strengthen our sector and build a more sustainable future for highways."
- Catherine Brookes, Strategic Highways Director at McCann and member of Nottingham College's Engineering and Electrical Advisory Board
Applications are now open for the September 2026 intake. Students leaving school, changing career or looking for an alternative to full-time study, will have the opportunity to train with employers whose industry insights help shape the delivery of the programme, creating a direct pathway into a rewarding career.
Whether you're looking to recruit new talent or upskill existing employees, our team can help you explore how this apprenticeship can support your organisation's workforce needs.