<p>More than 45,000 new workers will be trained in the housebuilding industry by 2019 through a £2.7 million initiative announced today by the Home Builders Federation and the Construction Industry Training Board.</p> <p>The new Home Building Skills Partnership has researched the needs of some 40 UK housebuilders and will bring together firms of all sizes to ensure that the industry has the skills it needs to build more homes. This will include initiatives to promote collaboration on skills across the supply chain so that the industry can better plan for its future needs.</p> <p>The initiative was launched today at HBF's Policy Conference where housing minister Brandon Lewis, in an impassioned speech, challenged everyone to work together to tackle the housing crisis. "History will not remember us fondly if the next generation is denied home ownership," he said. "I challenge the industry to show a long term commitment to build out faster and invest in apprentices."</p> <p>Speaking earlier, HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley stressed the efforts that the industry was making to boost skills and apprentices and to increase new homes delivery. "Given economic and political stability then the industry is on course to hit the 200,000 homes a year target …