ConstructionSkills launches drive to support Yorkshire’s ‘at risk’ apprentices

BUILDING industry chiefs in Yorkshire are bidding to help almost 200 apprentices billed as ‘at risk’ of losing their training places due to the recession.

ConstructionSkills, the UK’s sector skills council for the building industry, has drawn up plans to help companies retain their apprentices in the face of falling workloads – to avoid the threat of a skills shortage when the economy picks up.

Measures include expanding the Apprenticeship Matching Service, which seeks to find new work placements for apprentices who cannot continue training with their original employer.

ConstructionSkills said the AMS now had 195 ‘at risk’ trainees on its books. While the AMS had helped 56 to find new employment, more companies were needed to offer opportunities.

Other services to help employers retain their trainees include advice on business support, help with paperwork and help to explore available funding options to help support a ‘displaced’ apprentice.

Apprentices in bricklaying, carpentry and joinery and bricklaying are the most affected.

Apprenticeship manager Russell Buckley said: “The severity of the economic downturn means that the construction industry faces many challenges this year – and continuing the development of the next generation of workers is at the forefront of these.

“Increasingly, more apprentices are becoming ‘at risk’ of being laid off and to stem this tide we need more employers, who have the capacity to offer training opportunities.

“If this doesn’t happen, then the construction sector risks seeing the continuation of skills shortages that have plagued the industry since the last recession, caused by laying off experienced workers and reducing the number of new recruits.”

Mr Buckley said: “Apprentices that come through the AMS are often close to the end of their training and may only have a short amount of ‘learning time’ remaining, so require only limited financial investment from employers.

“In many ways, apprentices are the lifeblood of the construction industry. ConstructionSkills is committed to maintaining training levels in the construction sector to retain the skills we need now, avoid future shortages and invest in the skills the industry will need in the future.”