David Crosthwaite, chief economist at the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS), comments on the UK government's commitment to create 10,000 new apprentices.
Sirs,
On the surface, the UK easing restrictions on apprenticeships and creating greater flexibility for businesses is a welcome step.
However, we need to ask serious questions about how much of an impact this will have in the short-term.
The headline figure of 10,000 more apprentices sounds impressive but in reality is not even enough to address the significant loss of skilled labour seen over the past five years.
Further, while reducing the minimum apprenticeship duration from 12 months to 8 months might improve completion rates, it raises concerns about training quality.
If it previously took a year to equip apprentices with the necessary skills, can this be effectively achieved in just eight months without compromising standards?
If the government is serious about tackling the construction skills shortage, it needs to commit to a broader strategy, which cannot ignore the historic importance of overseas workers.
Of course, the industry has to play its part in this too by making construction an attractive career with more direct employment in place of self-employment.
Dr David Crosthwaite
Chief Economist,
Building Cost Information Service (BCIS)
