Callista's Story

Callista, 26, from Bolton North East wanted to train as an electrician to help build the homes her community desperately needs. Construction training providers across the North West had unfilled places while local housing targets remained unmet. But HM Treasury's approach to infrastructure spending blocked her path. Instead of directing CITB levy funding to areas with the greatest housing need, Westminster treats construction investment as a deficit risk rather than the mechanism that puts skilled workers to work building homes that already have planning permission. The workers were available, the training capacity existed. What was missing was a central government willing to fund the posts. This is Callista's story from one of England's most deprived constituencies. Blocked Britain is produced independently.