Crisis looms with the real risk of the death of UK trade skills

With the launch of the first National Apprentice Week this month (25-29 February 2008) training provider, JTL, warns of a serious threat to the future of the UKs electrical and plumbing industries if more employers do not train.

Predictions from the Blueprint for UK Construction Skills1 suggest there is a need for over 17,000 qualified electricians alone to enter the industry by 2011. To put this into perspective, JTL, which provides 80 per cent of the electrical industry's apprenticeship completions, currently releases 1,250 qualified electrical apprentices into the industry each year.

Denis Hird, Chief Executive of JTL comments:  “Between 2008 and 2011, the UK construction industry will continue the trend of growth it has enjoyed for the last decade. To deliver this growth the industry will need an average of 87,600 new workers to be recruited each year1.”

“We hope the introduction of National Apprentice Week will serve to highlight the fact that we are heading to a major trade skills crisis unless both business and government work hard to increase the number of apprenticeships available. It is our firmly held belief that it’s not only the UK economy that benefits from apprenticeships but also the individual businesses that train.”

Newcastle based contracting company John N Dunn currently employs 40 apprentices.  Managing Director, Chris Bilclough comments:  “Apprenticeship training is at the heart of our business and plays an important role in its growth.  The plumbing industry is highly competitive and we believe our staff really give us the edge.”

Apprenticeships present a real career option with a recently qualified electrician or plumber expecting to earn up to £36,000.  This is in stark contrast to the number of graduates, many of whom, after spending four years studying for a degree, are out of work or earning a minimum wage with an average debt of £11,0002.

by: Editor
19th Feb 2008