The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is calling on employers to ramp up their apprentice intake.
Currently, there are approximately 82,000 apprentices enrolled on construction apprenticeship across Great Britain, with 33,000 starting in the year to March 2024. However, only 21% of construction businesses employ an apprentice, and just 10% employ more than one apprentice.
CITB’s latest Construction Skills Network (CSN) forecast, for 2024–28, estimates that 251,500 additional workers will be required to meet construction demand. To help meet the industry’s annual recruitment requirement – 50,300 workers per year – it needs around three times the number of current apprenticeship starts.
The CITB says that it is trying to do its bit for the cause but employers need to do more.
A report from the CITB this week, Construction Apprenticeships: Opportunities Challenges Support, recommends targeted support and incentives for employers.
Lucie Wright, head of careers strategy at the CITB said: “Apprenticeships are vital to the future of the construction industry. A hard-working apprentice is a fantastic asset to any business. If industry, government and education providers work together, we can make a big difference to people’s lives by increasing apprenticeships.”
