COMMENT 7


Education showing that there were 3,000 fewer starts in the sector in the first part of the 2020/21 academic year, when compared to the previous year. SMEs are at the heart of reversing the decline in apprenticeships, as they train 71 per cent of tradespeople in the indus- try, including the majority of bricklayers. However, builders need more support from the Government to train. Ministers should bring forward plans to give local employers a greater voice in skills plans, and help builders and colleges to work more closely together and identify opportunities for young people coming into the industry.


There has never been a more urgent time to provide opportunities for young people, and I’m calling on my members to do what they can at this difficult time and provide training in whatever form they can. I paint a difficult picture for the UK’s SMEs, a year on from the start of the pandemic, but true to their characteristic resilience, I know that local builders across the country will be adapting their business, and innovating their methods to provide an even better service to our local communities. I’m now calling on the Government to back builders and help them to what they do best.


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