Apprenticeships: Investing for the Future
Chris Claydon, Chief Executive Officer
| JTL
Apprenticeships in highly skilled trades such as electrical engineering and plumbing are essential for home-building and the net-zero transition, investing in them now will help future-proof the workforce
This summer, we heard from the Education Secretary about plans to expand apprenticeship provision, hailing a renewed focus on vocational training for careers in trades like electrical engineering and plumbing.
As an Independent Training Provider (ITP) and charity, established by the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) and Unite the Union to train apprentices in building services engineering trades, JTL welcomed this. We know the value of these apprenticeships to the learner and the necessity of them for the government’s ambitious home-building and infrastructure plans, as well as achieving net-zero.
However the Autumn Budget revealed that while those targets remain the same – 1.5 million homes over the next five years and large-scale infrastructure projects across the country – there is neither the workforce plan nor the funding available for training providers to make them a reality.
Demand for electricians and plumbers is increasing significantly. Electricians will be needed to fit new homes, install systems at Hinkley Point C and HS2, and power new data centres. These are the same skills already in demand to retrofit existing homes and expand our electric vehicle charging network.
Apprenticeships, recognised as the gold standard route into these jobs, offer the solution. JTL is currently training over 8,000 learners in partnership with 3,800 businesses, tailoring training to the needs of employers. We pride ourselves on quality, as shown in our high achievement rates; we deliver a third of all electrical apprenticeship completions in England.
Despite this, the ECA estimates that 10,000 annual starts are required to sustain the current qualified electrician workforce, which has already shrunk from 260,000 in 2019 to 213,000 in 2024. With many experienced engineers nearing retirement faster than they can be replaced, the need for new investment in apprenticeships is urgent.
ITPs train over two-thirds off apprentices in England, far more than further education colleges, yet are excluded from key funding and support measures.
While £300m was allocated to further education in the Budget, it is likely that colleges will be prioritised over other provider types. Further, the measures to reimburse schools and colleges for the rise in National Insurance Contributions do not extend to ITPs. This means charities like JTL must continue to operate on an uneven playing field while facing growing costs of delivery.
Without action, the skills gap will only widen. Electrical and plumbing apprenticeships are crucial to building a fully-qualified, safe, and versatile workforce ready to meet industry demand.
As chief executive at JTL I see first-hand the drive and determination of those who start their apprenticeship and embark on a career in these trades. They want to learn and earn money, and with the right training they can contribute to growth now.
In the upcoming Spending Review, I hope the rhetoric will translate into real support for apprenticeships so that we can fulfil our pivotal role in the government’s mission. Inaction here is the greatest risk, undermining ambitions for housebuilding, energy security and infrastructure growth across the UK.
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