HUDDERSFIELD building firms have been urged to play their part in promoting apprenticeships.
Construction Skills, the sector skills council for the construction industry, wants Yorkshire’s largest building companies to help stimulate a “spirit of apprenticeships” throughout the sector’s supply chain – giving a training boost to its smaller businesses.
As part of its annual drive to encourage more employers to invest in young people, Construction Skills is asking how the biggest building firms can use their influence to demonstrate the value apprentices bring to businesses of all sizes.
New research has revealed that almost a third of companies have slashed their apprenticeship recruitment plans this year because of the recession.
Now Construction Skills is looking for top contractors to help foster a sector-wide sentiment that apprentices are good for business.
Steve Housden, Construction Skills regional strategy adviser for Yorkshire, said many major contractors wanted the smaller firms employed in the supply chain to demonstrate an active training culture before awarding work.
He said: “We desperately need to provide more employers for the would-be apprentices looking to start a career in construction. It is certainly a case of supplying the demand at the moment. There is a real need for more employers to take an apprentice on – but many of the smaller companies in Huddersfield don’t feel that they have the capacity or time to do so.
“What we need is for smaller companies to understand the process of taking on an apprentice, what the businesses benefits are and how they can access help and support, both from us, and from larger companies.”
And he warned: “The failure to invest in apprenticeships now will mean severe skills shortages in the future. Many large contractors already actively choose to invest in smaller firms that share their corporate values, working cultures and commitment to developing talent.”
A spokesman for Construction Skills said: “Taking on an apprentice is a good way to add extra skills to your business, making you better able to compete for work.
“They are also an extra pair of hands that you can train to do things your way.
“Apprentices combine college learning with on-site experience to ensure the right balance of technical skills and practical experience.”
