BROADENED APPRENTICESHIPS LAUNCHED TO BOOST INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE 

Today sees the first apprentices start on new broadened Apprenticeship programmes launched by ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council (SSC), in a move to answer calls from employers for trainees to be given a wider understanding of the industry. 

The new, ‘broadened’ format has been developed to improve the employability of apprentices by incorporating additional aspects of learning.  As a result, apprentices will have a deeper grounding in the industry and will be better able to move more easily across different disciplines. 

·         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

·         Study aspects of complementary disciplines alongside the main subject of their Apprenticeship. For example, Site Carpentry apprentices can study elements of bench joinery

·         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

Nick Gooderson, Head of Standards and Qualifications for ConstructionSkills, said: “It is particularly important given the current economic climate that employees in the construction industry are trained in a way that best meets the needs of employers.

“By giving apprentices key business skills such as planning and estimating and enabling them to learn aspects of secondary trades, they can really add value to the businesses they work for and can transfer more easily across sites and firms if necessary.  Developing them into more rounded craftspeople will open up the range of career paths available to them.  The changes to the Apprenticeships have been driven by the industry and employers have been heavily involved in their development.”

The changes form a core part of ConstructionSkills’ drive to provide fit-for-purpose qualifications that meet the needs of industry.  Feedback from a series of employer consultations revealed a need for Apprenticeships to 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 sets out the vision for a new framework and structure for qualifications developed by the industry for the industry. 

Matt West, Carillion Construction Training Centre Manager, said: “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 broadening demonstrates in a very practical way the need for trades to think ahead and work together to meet the needs of the industry. The changes will ensure sustainable growth in the skills sets being made available to construction employers.  Whether apprentices continue to work as tradespeople or progress through to become site managers or on to technical positions, skills such as planning and estimating, which are included in the new Apprenticeships, will add value to their training and give important insights into the working of the site.” 

To help employers like Carillion take on an apprentices ConstructionSkills provides employers with financial support towards Traditional Apprenticeships of up to £9,820 and for the alternative Programme-Led Apprenticeships direct funding of £3,000. In addition through a network of trained advisors ongoing mentoring and support is provided. This end-to-end support has helped achieve a completion rate of 77%, 10% higher than the average for the sector.

Employers of all sizes have welcomed the introduction of the new format.  Of 136 construction firms with fewer than 50 employees polled by ConstructionSkills in July 2008, 89% thought the new format was a good idea, 94% backed the introduction of complementary subjects and 69% saw the introduction of planning and estimating as a positive step forward.