Apprenticeship starts
have decreased by a more than third in November 2017 compared with November
2016, highlighting the need to reform the apprenticeship levy system, according
to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
The Department
for Education’s apprenticeship and levy statistics for November 2017, show
a 35% drop in apprenticeship starts in November 2017.
Brian Berry Chief
Executive of the FMB said although these are not finalised figures, even
allowing for a certain degree of change, it looks like a clear downward turn in
new apprenticeships.
"Unfortunately,
this is not altogether surprising given the intrinsic flaws in how the
apprenticeship levy works," he said.
"The lack of
flexibility in the value of vouchers which large employers are able to pass
down the supply chain to smaller subcontractors who work for them is a key
issue.
"At present only
10% of vouchers are able to be passed down, however larger construction firms
do not tend to directly employ large numbers of on-site tradespeople. This
means that there is a real danger that these vouchers are not being spent on training
the key skills that the industry so desperately needs.
“In the long term, the
only way we will be able to address the chronic skills crisis that is impacting
the whole sector is by recruiting and training more new entrants. It is
imperative that we make moves to iron out the flaws in the apprentice levy, given
that more than two-thirds of small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) in
construction are facing difficulties hiring bricklayers. This has increased by
nearly 10% in just three months which demonstrates the swift worsening of an
already dismal situation.
"What’s more,
with the UK set to leave the EU in just over a year’s time, and our access to
EU workers in doubt, the next few years will bring extraordinary challenges to
the construction industry. It’s only through close collaboration between the Government
and the construction sector that we will be able to overcome issues such as the
skills crisis.”
