Columnist

Don't stifle growth with apprenticeship cuts

Apprenticeships are a fantastic way of developing the next generation of talent and ensuring that companies – and entire sectors – have the skills they need to grow and prosper. 

We have supported many students through this route in the past, and believe learning while you work offers students a wealth of experience that cannot be achieved by taking the traditional education route.  

However, we are concerned at recent claims the Government is planning to shelve funding for level 7 apprenticeships through the apprenticeship levy, which requires large firms with an annual wage bill of more than £3 million to contribute 0.5 per cent of their payroll costs to the levy. 

Effectively, the changes mean businesses would be forced to pay more for staff who want to study for a level 7 apprenticeship – the equivalent of a master’s degree.

For companies operating in the built environment industry, these reforms would be a disaster. 

High-level apprenticeships (those equivalent to degree or post-graduate level) are simply essential for companies in this vital sector to adequately address key policy issues, such as the delivery of 1.5 million new homes during the course of this parliament and the acceleration of net-zero targets.   

Without access to levy funding, organisations would find it more difficult to support and deliver training for built environment level 7 apprentices.

This would also potentially block off key career routes for budding professionals looking to pave their way in the industry, particularly those from under-represented backgrounds.

At Gradon, we already employ talented individuals who have embarked on high-level apprenticeships, and we’re benefiting from the critical acumen and fresh approaches they’ve developed. 

Other businesses may not be in such a fortunate position if the level 7 funding is withdrawn.

Apprenticeships are critical to the future of this industry. 

I’d strongly urge the Government to exempt built environment organisations from these ill-advised reforms or, better still, scrap them altogether. 

They serve no purpose other than to stifle economic growth, widen skills gaps, choke off vital career routes and make key policy goals much harder to achieve.  

Graham McDarby is managing director of Gradon Architecture

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