ConstructionSkills, the UK’s Sector Skills Council for
construction, has announced that it has successfully secured £1m of funding
from the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) to support construction
companies that take on apprentices who have been laid-off during the
recession.
Companies that are able to provide suitable apprenticeship
employment to these displaced apprentices who are close to the end of their
framework, and support them to complete their training will be eligible to
apply for financial support of up to £1,000. For employers who are registered
with CITB-ConstructionSkills, this comes on top of the funding which may be
available through the grant scheme. Funding is available for those in the last
12 months of their apprenticeship and it is hoped that at least 800 extra
trainees across the UK will benefit from this newly-available funding.
The money was secured from the NAS to act as an incentive
for even more employers to support the ConstructionSkills Apprenticeship
Matching Service (AMS), which helps employers hold on to their apprentices or,
when this is not possible, matches displaced apprentices with new employers.
The service has recorded strong results in its short
history, with 31% of the 2,408 displaced apprentices on its books in England,
Scotland and Wales having already been re-employed. Following this news,
ConstructionSkills and the NAS are calling on even more employers to commit to
taking on an apprentice.
Nigel Donohue, apprenticeship programme manager for ConstructionSkills,
explained: “Our Apprenticeship Matching Service has been a huge step forward
for the industry, helping to retain as many of the next generation of workers
as possible. We have also been talking to Government in recent months about the
need to support employers in our industry through this difficult time and the
funding from the National Apprenticeship Service will do just that: £1,000 for
each apprentice adopted through the
AMS will make the proposition a lot more viable for many
employers.
“It is absolutely imperative that we do all that is possible
to retain the talent within the industry, in a concerted and co-ordinated
effort, to try and prevent a skills shortage. At ConstructionSkills, we are
successful in placing thousands of apprentices with construction companies
every year throughout the UK, so it would be a real shame if these apprentices,
especially those who are so close to the finish line, were lost to the
industry”.
Simon Waugh, chief executive of the NAS, said the grant provided
a much needed boost to construction employers: “It is well documented that
apprentices are good for your bottom line. In today’s challenging times, and
particularly as we prepare for the upturn, apprenticeships are a vital way of
improving the skills of staff and generating a committed and valuable
workforce. This is why we are working with the industry to provide immediate
financial support to ensure construction employers can keep taking on
apprentices”.
Minister for further education, skills, apprenticeships and
consumer affairs Kevin Brennan said: “This is a welcome development which
should help hundreds of apprentices to complete their training. As well as the
support offered by ConstructionSkills, the National Apprenticeship Service is
working hard with other colleges and training providers to ensure as many
construction apprentices as possible can finish their apprenticeship. We have
also introduced new flexibilities to support apprentices whose jobs are at
risk, such as allowing apprentices to complete some of their training at a
college where possible, and claim EMA or other financial support to tide them
over until they find a new employer.”
The AMS offers a broad range of support services to help
businesses retain their apprentices through the downturn, including mentoring
for apprentices, advice for
employers about other available support, and help with
paperwork.
For further information on the ConstructionSkills
Apprenticeship Programme, please visit www.cskills.org. For information about
Apprenticeships and how they can help your business, visit
www.apprenticeships.org.uk
