Apprentice boost vital to avert UK skills disaster
4th February 2010
Chronic skills shortages will spell disaster for the UK's
construction and engineering sectors unless the government
accelerates young people's training, JTL's chairman, and Unite
assistant general secretary, Les Bayliss warned during National
Apprenticeship Week (1-5 February).
Although overall apprentice numbers rose last year, there has
been a marked drop in recruitment numbers in construction and
engineering which now has the oldest workforce since the second
world war when most young people were mobilised.
Les Bayliss, said: “Overall apprenticeships may be growing, but
in the construction and engineering sectors numbers fell
dramatically during the downturn.
“Therefore in National Apprenticeship Week, we are encouraged by
government plans to step up financial and logistical support, as
well as exploring new ways of supporting employers in these
difficult times. This includes the future jobs fund, and the £1
billion windfall on bankers bonuses which is being earmarked for
jobs, training and apprenticeships for young people through the
government’s ‘Backing Young Britain’ campaign.
“Unite and the industry have been calling for such support and
will work with government for the future success of the UK
construction industry. However, this support needs to be up and
running as a matter of urgency, as a boost in apprenticeships is
vital to avert a UK skills disaster and the future prospects of our
nation’s young people.”
For every apprentice JTL - the leading training provider of
Advanced Apprenticeships to the building services engineering
sector - places with an employer, it has to turn away two
applicants from young people wanting to find an apprenticeship
placement with an employer.
Les Bayliss added: “At a time when school leavers are finding it
tougher to find apprenticeships in construction, the most effective
way for government to intervene is to use its procurement power and
leverage on the public sector and infrastructure projects to make
apprenticeships a priority.
“We want to see new and existing firms who have long standing
and terrific records in investing in apprentices rewarded in future
procurement and contracts within the supply chain in public sector
projects.
“It is imperative that major infrastructure projects such as
Building Schools for the Future, which are vital to firms during
the downturn, are maintained while other projects such as housing
and new nuclear power stations are brought forward as soon as
possible.”
Over a third (36 per cent) of workers in the construction
industry were under 30 in 1990 compared with only a quarter of the
sector's workforce today. In 1990, over 55s represented 11 per cent
of the workforce compared with 17 per cent in 2007. (1)
Although there has been a 20 per cent growth in the construction
workforce since the early-1990s, the number of older workers (aged
60 and over) in the industry has doubled over this time period,
while those aged 24 and under fell by 27 per cent.
ENDS
For further information contact Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite
Press Office on 020 7420 8914 or 07980 224761.
Notes to Editors:
About Unite
Unite is UK's largest trade union with nearly 1.6 million members
throughout the UK and Ireland. Members include those working in the
electrical, mechanical and engineering sectors, and Unite
negotiates for thousands of skilled members employed in just about
every private and public industry.
Unite has long-standing national agreements with the employers’
trade associations in construction and building services
engineering, including the joint establishment in 1990 of the
apprenticeship training provider JTL, ensuring the facility for
world class skills provision across construction and the built
environment,
About JTL
JTL (http://www.jtltraining.com/) is
the leading training provider to the building services engineering
sector offering Advanced Apprenticeships in electrical
installation, motor rewind, plumbing, heating and ventilating and
engineering maintenance. The JTL apprenticeship schemes are open to
young people between the ages of 16 to 24 and are an ideal entry
route for those looking to start a career in the building services
engineering sector.
Supporting around10,000 apprentices and working with 4,000
businesses, JTL's Advanced Apprenticeship training develops
practical on-the-job experience, "earn as they learn" and the
opportunity to achieve a National Vocational Qualification at Level
Three.
JTL funds the cost of all off-the-job training, including
college fees and course notes, as well as all on-the-job
assessments, while the employer pays the apprentice's salary and
associated employment costs.
Around 70 per cent of the 3,000 young people who start an
Advanced Apprenticeship each year with JTL will complete it. That's
compared to 50 per cent nationally for work-based learning.
(1) Findings were complied via the Construction Skills Network
drawing form the Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey
and Construction Industry Council (CIC).
Organised by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), National
Apprenticeship Week takes place from Monday 1 February to Friday 5
February 2010 to celebrate the talents and skills of
apprentices.
