The construction industry and Ed Miliband's apprenticeship pledge
The National Federation of Builders responds to Ed Miliband'snew policy pledge to create moreapprenticeships.
Paul Bogle, Head of Policy and Research, National Federation of Builders (NFB) commented on the recent announcement by Labour on new apprenticeships saying:
“Ed Miliband has pledged that a Labour government would create 80,000 new apprenticeship a year by 2020, guaranteeing a high-quality apprenticeship to any school pupil who achieves good marks. This announcement could be seen as a bold initiative within an increasingly competitive electoral race. It is worth noting that apprenticeship starts in the construction sector have decreased by 23% since 2010. What is unclear is how the construction industry might benefit from this policy pledge, especially given the proposed funding regime for apprentices which will disadvantage smaller companies by increasing their costs. The NFB has been drawing attention to the need to promote careers in construction more strongly, particularly in schools, to tackle the misconception that associates the construction industry only with manual labour and ignoring the professional, technical and managerial skills also needed to shape our built environment.”
