Apprenticeships broadened to benefit employers

ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the construction industry, has announced significant changes to the structure of Apprenticeships, which will bring benefits to businesses and their apprentices.

In a new, ‘broadened’ format – available from October 2008 – Apprenticeships will include additional aspects of learning that give young people a deeper grounding in the industry, and make them more employable as a result.

Apprentices in England will now be able to:

• Study aspects of complementary disciplines alongside the main subject of their Apprenticeship. For example, Site Carpentry apprentices can study elements of bench joinery
• Get a strong grasp of business-related skills such as planning and estimating, meaning that they will add value to businesses that take them on
• Learn different building methods and sustainability, giving them a more diverse mix of skills
• Become more aware of site hazards through an expanded Health & Safety Unit

The changes are being introduced in response to feedback from the industry at ConstructionSkills’ consultations, which showed that Apprenticeships could be upgraded to better fit with day-to-day business practices. The feedback was then formalised as part of the Sector Skills Council’s Construction Qualification Strategy (CQS), which is being implemented to ensure that the provision of training and qualifications adheres to the needs of all businesses.

The Construction Awards Alliance (CAA) – an alliance between Cskills Awards and City & Guilds – has since been in close liaison with employers, federations and training providers to develop the more in-depth qualification which can be delivered as a stand alone qualification or as part of the broadened Apprenticeship.

To date, the CAA has held 24 regional events alongside the British Association of Construction Heads to educate colleges and training centres on the changes, and attention is now being turned to employers to ensure all parties are aware of, and ready for, the changes.

Nick Gooderson, Head of Standards and Qualifications for ConstructionSkills, said: “The most important aspect of the broadening of Apprenticeships is that it has been driven by the industry itself.

“Employers identified the need for the expansion of the qualification and have also been heavily involved with the Construction Awards Alliance in the development of the new technical certificate. The move to broaden the scope of Apprenticeships will have significant benefits for everyone within the industry and enable us to drive improvements at a time when the Government is looking to expand Apprenticeship take up across all sectors. This will help ensure their continued relevance and maintain the UK’s position as a global construction leader.”

Martyn Price, Managing Director of Carpentry Management Contracting, added: “Employers need apprentices to be as broadly skilled as possible, and the new structure of Apprenticeships will make young people coming into the industry more appealing."

“The industry is now so much more diverse than it used to be and learning aspects of different disciplines within an Apprenticeship offers employees a more appropriate foundation to meet today’s current employment needs. Furthermore it offers employers a credible skills set with increased retention and progression opportunities.”

The broadened Apprenticeship format has received resounding support from businesses across the sector.

In a ConstructionSkills poll of 136 construction firms in July 2008, with fewer than 50 employees, a massive 89% said that they thought the changes to Apprenticeships were a good idea, 69% backed the move to improve apprentices’ knowledge of planning and estimating and 94% supported the idea of introducing the study of complementary subjects. 

Investing in apprentices is a cost-effective way for construction firms to get through tough economic times as well as prepare for the future. Yet every year, thousands of young people who want to enter the industry are turned away due to the lack of businesses willing to offer a placement.

The changes to the qualification ensure that apprentices remain an appealing proposition to any business seeking to develop their workforce. ConstructionSkills is calling on companies of all sizes to recognise construction apprentices as a vital resource, and to commit to helping young people enter the industry. Figures detailing the number of would-be apprentices who are still looking for employers to take them on this year will be released next week.

For further information on Apprenticeships, please visit www.cskills.org/apprenticeships