Partner Article

Why the government must take construction apprenticeships seriously.

This week is National Apprenticeship Week. When we talk about apprenticeships within the UK construction industry, many people think of trades such as bricklaying, plumbing or plastering. However, there is a whole raft of construction jobs which fall into the professional services category. Those jobs include quantity surveyor, technical services surveyor, asset managers, ESG data managers and many more roles. The built environment and the ongoing development of our capital city and indeed our country relies on these roles and the people in them. There are very few apprenticeships in the professional services arm of our industry and this must be addressed by organisations within our sector.

Currently the construction industry generally has seen a worrying decline in all types of apprenticeships and the full effect of this is yet to be seen. The Department for Education figures show that in the first three months of the 2021/22 academic year 157,400 people aged under 24 started apprenticeships - 18,000 less than in 2018/19. A Construction Skills Network report found that the built environment will need around 53,000 extra recruits each year over the next four years to meet the amount of workers to meet the projected UK construction demand.

We know that the construction industry has an ageing workforce. We have a blocked funnel when it comes to our pipeline of construction professionals within the industry. As our senior professionals retire, we do not have the people to fill the gaps behind them. Younger recruits are not coming into the profession and we are seeing higher workloads for existing staff, reduced output, profitability and growth. Apprenticeships will help to tackle this crisis that the construction industry is sleepwalking into. Apprenticeships are important because they provide individuals with hands-on training and practical experience in a specific job. They offer a structured way to gain knowledge, skills and qualifications, and provide a pathway to a successful career in the industry. Apprenticeships also benefit employers by providing a steady stream of skilled workers, improving productivity and helping to close the skills gap. Apprenticeships can help to promote diversity and provide opportunities for underrepresented groups to enter the construction industry. Overall, they play a vital role in maintaining and developing the workforce in the UK construction industry.

The decline of apprenticeships within the UK construction industry can be attributed to several factors, including economic factors, a shortage of funding and support from the government and a lack of awareness of the opportunities available. The government seems to be using apprenticeships as a way to balance government budgets rather than as a way to help the UK out of the skills shortage and cost of living crisis. If we don’t invest in making the industry more attractive to young people then we will find ourselves ‘candidate short’.

It is no secret that we need to attract more diverse candidates, so now is the time to focus on inner city schools. In reality we need to be targeting children as young as 13 who are making their GCSE choices and show them what the industry can offer at all levels. Universities are not for everyone, we need to be offering our young people different routes into the industry. Apprenticeships train and qualify youngsters on the job whilst they earn. Already it provides a greater attraction for those who cannot afford university and the recruitment talent pool is widening for businesses and their investors.

As the UK battles a recession, apprenticeships within professional services within construction could be completely forgotten. If this happens then our built environment will start sliding towards not reflecting the society we live in. This is dangerous for the public as well as the investors pouring money into development.

This article was written by Christine Scott, Director of Development and Construction for prestigious London real estate recruiters Madison Berkeley.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lucy Hood .