Apprenticeship starts in construction, planning and the built environment saw a decline from 16,100 in the 2019/20 academic year, to 13,100 in 2020/21, according to figures released today [25 March] from the Department of Education.
Meanwhile, apprenticeship achievements in the same subject area also fell, from 3,100 in 2019/20 to just 2,800 in 2020/21.
Apprenticeship starts as a whole saw an 18.5% decline to 161,900 in 2020/21, compared to 198,600 reported for the same period in 2019/20. Learner participation also decreased by 8.3% to 575,900, compared to 627,700 in 2019/20.
However, apprenticeship achievements were up by 0.3% to 59,400, compared to 59,200 in 2019/20.
Whereas figures for Under 19 apprenticeships have been seeing a decline since 2018/19 (66,000), to 58,100 in 2019/20, to just 38,800 in 2020/21, accounting for only 23.9% of starts.
Commenting on the statistics, Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), said: “The government must reverse the sharp fall in construction apprenticeships by giving builders a greater voice in local skills plans and by supporting builders and colleges to work better together.
“That 3,000 fewer apprentices started in the first half of the 2020/21 academic year, than did so the year before makes for difficult reading. This will exacerbate the skills shortage, and hamper construction’s ability to do its bit to build back better.”
Brian concluded: “As we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic and implement the UK’s new points-based immigration system, skills and training in key sectors, such as construction, should be at the forefront of the government’s mind. As local builders train 71% of apprentices in the industry, they must be at the heart of plans to bring in the next generation of tradespeople.”
