ANALYSIS | Apprenticeships
tTRAINING T
he KBB and construction industries have an ageing workforce and apprentice-
ships are vital to attract new, young blood into the sector and plug the skills gap.
Over a year ago, Damian Walters, chief executive of the British Institute of Kitchen Bedroom and Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI), warned the industry that the new Level 2 Fitted Interiors apprenticeship would lose funding if people did not use it. However, the industry still needs to engage with it more.
Despite the fact that the KBB
industry is crying out for skilled installers and younger generations opting to take on roles, the BiKBBI confirms that there are still a large number of people interested in becoming apprentices who can’t find any placements.
The alternative to taking on an apprentice is to train people with the skills you require and build them up to your standards. Although it may take more time, apprentices are usually cheaper than regular employees. It also makes a massive contribution to the industry by investing in the next generation.
Since May 2010, there have been just over 5.2 million apprenticeship starts in the UK. In 2020/21, there was a
total of 349,190
starts, which was up 8.6% compared with the previous year. Of those, 75,120 were for the technology or construction sector, where many KBB courses are shoe- horned into those subcategories.
By comparison, 562,060 students were accepted onto an undergraduate course during the
So where do retailers fit into this? Speaking from
an installation
perspective, BiKBBI CEO Damian Walters says: “It’s not just the retailer’s responsibility. The skills gap shortage will affect everyone: suppliers, distributors, manufacturers, designers, and installers. It will continue to affect everyone. There is no point in producing innovative products, and designing beautiful projects, if there is no one there to fit them.
“It is a universal issue, but retailers need to understand the skills gap crisis and how that will affect their business. The majority
It’s not just the retailer’s responsibility. The skills gap shortage will affect everyone
Damian Walters, chief executive, BiKBBI
2021 academic year – that’s a 38% difference. So even with numbers up for apprentices, they still drastically lag behind the number going to university.
right apprenticeship for their business. Do you want someone to help in your showroom, or are you looking for an installer? Figure out the parts of your company where you can make use of apprentices.
When it comes to finding suitable training programmes, there are many options and courses, so it pays to shop around for the most suitable. Some may prefer to keep it simple and work with an official training provider, while others may prefer to do it in-house.
of
them do and realise what is going on. But, they struggle to figure out where they fit into the solution.” Walters advises retailers not to overcomplicate things. If you currently don’t employ fitters, consider sharing the installers you work with. But if you do have the space for an apprentice through the Level 2 Fitted Interiors course, it is worth looking into how that would work for your company, starting with contacting the BiKBBI. Retailers will need to choose the
Most in-house training programmes won’t end with an NVQ or equivalent qualification, so you will need to consider whether that is important to you or your apprentice.
Funding
It is also important to check what funding is available and the eligibility criteria. Funding is also dependent on the age of your apprentice and rules may vary in different areas of the UK. You may need to advertise to find the right apprentice. If you work with an agency, most will generally do that for you. However, it might be better to do your own marketing and perhaps even get in touch directly with local schools or colleges.
Formulate an apprenticeship agree- ment and training plan before your apprentice joins, setting out clear aims and objectives. Then, once they start, go through the plan with them, agree on those terms, and make any necessary adjustments.
The skills gap has not gone away and is still one the biggest issues facing the KBB industry. The BiKBBI’s Walters says that the time to act is now and is calling on the industry to support its efforts.
He warns: “The majority of busi- nesses, while nodding in agree ment in recognition of the problem, are simply not doing enough to address this catastrophe and it is this that will irreversibly damage the entire industry.” “If you’re not working with the BiKBBI, if you’re not sharing the apprenticeship message, then now is the time,” pleads Walters. “We cannot do this alone.
“Whether you’re a national retailer,
an independent retailer of any size, a merchant, a manufacturer, a distrib utor, supplier, buying group, designer, installer… whether you have a big budget, no budget, whether you work directly with installers, or you don’t – now is your time to act.” „
he next generation
Experts have been warning for some time of a looming crisis in recruiting new installers and designers. What is the progress on apprenticeships and what can we do to avert a situation some believe will ‘irreversibly damage our industry’?
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· February 2023
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