Greater flexibility for Apprenticeship Levy funding is welcome, says FMB
Federation of Master Builders
The ability for larger companies to transfer unspent apprenticeship funding to smaller firms is welcome and will help make the Apprenticeship Levy a success, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said in response to the unveiling of the final details of the Apprenticeship Levy.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Ensuring that there is plenty of flexibility within the digital voucher model is critical to the Apprenticeship Levy’s success. This is especially true for the construction sector as two-thirds of all construction apprentices are trained by SMEs. As long as larger contractors are unable, or unwilling, to play a greater role in industry training, then it’s vital that funds can be rerouted to smaller firms. The severity of our industry’s skills shortage means that we need to ensure that every single penny of Apprenticeship Levy that is extracted from the construction sector is reinvested in high-quality construction apprenticeships. We had some concerns that if larger companies were not able to pass their vouchers onto smaller firms, the money would be left languishing in the general pot before eventually being spent by other sectors. Now it’s a question of ensuring that the digital voucher model is simple and easy for small firms to navigate.”
