Apprenticeships

APP 129

Written evidence submitted by Strategic Forum for Construction

I write to you as Chairman of the Strategic Forum for Construction.

1. The Strategic Forum for Construction brings together the main representative organisations in the construction industry and acts as the interface between Government and the construction sector.

2. Its vision is for the UK construction industry to achieve maximum value for all clients, end users and stakeholders and to exceed their expectations through the consistent delivery of world class products and projects.

3. The Strategic Forum member organisations are:

Clients	represented by the Construction Clients Group
Professionals	represented by the Construction Industry Council
Contractors	represented by the UK Contractors Group and the Construction Alliance
Specialist contractors	represented by the National Specialist Contractors Council and Specialist Engineering Contractors Group
Product suppliers	represented by the Construction Products Association
Site workers	represented by UCATT on behalf of the unions

4. The Strategic Forum published The Construction Commitments which bring together the six key areas vital to delivering construction projects on time, safely and to budget. They represent the principles which it is intended will underpin all construction projects in order to achieve a better industry and exceed current best practice.

5. One of the key areas is a commitment to people and the Strategic Forum established a target of achieving annual Apprenticeship completions of 18,700 in England, Wales and Scotland. This target is continually under review as the economic climate has had a dramatic effect upon employers’ capacity to employ apprentices and deliver apprenticeships.

6. Most members of the Strategic Forum will submit their own evidence to the BIS inquiry into apprenticeships all of which support the Strategic Forums’ objectives of increasing the number of apprenticeships delivered within the construction industry and we would refer you to these responses for more in depth views from the various sectors within construction.

7. Key and common points supported by all Strategic Forum members are:

a) The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) has not supported the construction industry in the most effective manner.

b) The current economic climate is creating a potential skills vacuum which will hamper growth within the construction industry if employers are unable to offer employment and training opportunities.

c) Restrictions on the funding to apprentices aged 19+ create a disparity in the financial support available to employers.  This is inappropriate in an industry that employs more mature workers and in occupations where apprenticeships are more costly and difficult to deliver. These restrictions inhibit employers, particularly SME’s from employing apprentices.

d) The financial support provided by the coalition Government is very much needed, particularly to encourage SME’s to engage in the apprenticeship process; and where funding is made available it should be clear where and how it will be distributed.

e) Any additional financial support must support apprentices rather than training programmes.

f) Apprenticeships need to be of good quality; there is a concern that the quality of apprenticeships is being diluted. For example, an increasing number of schemes have training periods of less than a year which does not benefit the apprentice or employers.

g) Innovative and contemporary models of apprenticeships which meet current and future business models should be encouraged.

Lord O’Neill

Chairman

13 February 2012