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Leadership needed to tackle ‘pathetically dismal’ apprenticeship numbers in construction

Construction bosses have been urged by MPs to step up action to tackle the growing training and apprenticeship crisis by a new report “No More Lost Generations: Creating Construction Jobs for Young People”. 

David Rowbotham, director for safety and socio-economics at Mace, presented evidence during the preparation of the report. He explains why its conclusions are so important and why the industry must now take action.  

"It’s great to see the publication of the CIOB’s report ‘No more lost generations: Creating construction jobs for young people’ led by Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP and Lord Richard Best OBE. 

This cross-party parliamentary report investigates how more young people can get into work. The case for our industry to do more is self-evident; 182,000 construction jobs need to be filled by 2018 yet only 7,280 individuals completed a construction apprenticeship in 2013.

The cross party report was compiled by engaging with a broad range of stakeholders from employers large and small to colleges, funding bodies and other key figures from the industry which means that the report has  practical ideas and recommendations that should now be translated into action on the ground.

Some of the key recommendations outlined in the report include:

  • improve an understanding in schools of the exciting and varied career opportunities in construction
  • make it easier for young people to find an appropriate route into the industry
  • ensure that training programmes are better linked to the nature of the jobs that are likely to be available
  • use the levers available through public-sector procurement and the planning system to require realistic and effective training and employment commitments from employers
  • secure much greater commitment and buy-in from industry leaders in securing the step change

I particularly welcome the recommendation to move towards developing a more employer-led curriculum. By having training that is driven by industry need, as opposed to being shaped by available funding and existing training providers’ current provisions, we will have programmes that deliver young people with the right skills sets that are ‘fit for business’ so that they can enter into work and have sustainable employment. 

Employers will ultimately be employing the young people who complete their apprenticeships, so it makes sense that we play a greater role in their development.

Education and skills funding is currently linked to the number of people who complete training programmes, but going forward, some element of funding should be linked to the number of young people that successfully transition into sustainable employment. This will give training providers a greater incentive to equip young people with the necessary skills to deliver modern methods of construction.

This great report is only the start. The wide range of recommendations and practical ideas now requires us all to act.  We all owe it to the young people of today to take action in order to reverse the startling statistics outlined in this report and to ensure that they are no longer ‘the lost generation’."

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Key recommendations from the “No More Lost Generations: Creating Construction Jobs for Young People” report:

- For the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, with backing from the Construction Leadership Council, to  convene a high-level ummit with contractors, specialist contractors, house-builders, local authorities and social landlords to get momentum behind Construction Jobs for Young People. This echoes a similar summit for industry leaders back in 2001 on the theme of safety: by raising the profile of that issue, huge progress has been made on construction sites to reduce significantly fatalities and accidents.

- For the CITB to spearhead a new apprenticeship strategy to ensure that training programmes are better linked to the nature of the jobs and reduce the drop-out rate from apprenticeships and other training courses.

- For public bodies and social landlords to use the levers available through public-sector procurement and the planning system to require realistic and effective training and employment commitments from employers. This will require committed support from government, social landlords and local authorities.

- For the sector to improve an understanding in schools of the exciting and varied opportunities for those who want a career in construction and make it easier for young people to find an appropriate route into the industry, whether through apprenticeships or degree-level qualifications, through the creation of a new careers portal.

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The inquiry was supported by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Its members were the Rt Hon Nick Raynsford, MP (Labour) and Lord Richard Best (Independent). Parliamentarians also comprised of Peter Aldous (Conservative), Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat) and Baroness Angela Smith (Labour). It was supported by the Construction Youth Trust, Youth Build Trust, Youth Build UK, and The Prince’s Trust. Evidence was obtained from a wide range of those in the industry and from local government, the social housing sector and educational establishments.