Demand is being driven by plans for 12,200 new homes across the region each year, a £2.4bn transport infrastructure programme, flagship schemes like the East Birmingham Sports Quarter and a £160m retrofit scheme to make thousands of homes more energy efficient.

Funding for the skills package is being drawn from the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) adult skills budget and a government skills mission fund for construction.

Parker said: “We’re heading into a construction boom that will power new jobs, new homes and new opportunities right across the West Midlands. But that growth will only last if local people have the skills to deliver it.

“That’s why I’m backing investment in training and apprenticeships – so people here get the first shot at the good jobs being created and businesses can draw on local talent with the latest skills and knowhow.

This isn’t just about construction – we’re also working on engineering, design and all the supporting roles that keep our region building.”

Work is now underway with national partners including the Department for Education (DfE), and CITB, to secure additional support, with employer match-funding expected to play a key role in future phases.

The National House Building Council (NHBC) will also scope the potential for one of its training hubs to be located in the region.

The skills package will be led by Dudley College’s Technical Excellence Hub which houses sector specific training resources including bricklaying, carpentry, plastering, painting and decorating workshops – all developed with employers.

Diana Martin, chief executive and principal of Dudley College of Technology, said: “One of our key objectives will be to work with employers to leverage further investment in construction skills provision, so that the industry not only builds capacity way into the future but can immediately maximise the business benefits the large-scale investment offers.”