Construction industry welcomes PM’s apprentices plan

Prime Minister David Cameron’s pledge to create 3 million apprenticeships over the next five years has been welcomed by the Construction Industry Training Board.

The move was announced in the Queen’s speech on Wednesday 27 May when she outlined the Conservative government’s new legislative programme.

Measures on work were at the heart of the programme, with the Employment Bill set to be "fast-tracked" through parliament. This will also push for 2 million more jobs in a bid to deliver the highest employment rate of any major economy.

Steve Radley, director of policy at the CITB, backed the move to increase the number of apprentices but warned that employers and the government need to "get together" to work out how to deliver the promises.   He said: "The potential for developing skills and providing careers for the next generation is enormous but we will only achieve this by setting out bold new ways to get there.”

There were 1.8 million applicants for 166,000 advertised apprenticeships last year, according to a study by the Institute for Public Policy Research.

The IPPR also found that 67% of higher level apprenticeships were given to people already employed.

The Local Government Association, which commissioned the research, said data showing 42% of people starting apprenticeships since 2010 were aged over 25 indicated the system was being used to train older workers and young people were missing out.

See more at Construction.co.uk