enough audience,” said Yeulet. “With the breadth of qualifi cations on off er, this is also a really good way to upskill existing employees. It is important to point out that apprenticeships should not be thought of as solely reserved for new entrants or those of school leaving age,” she added. Recent government research found that 86% of employers who took on at least one apprentice believe it helped them develop the skills most relevant to their organisation. 78% said their apprentices helped them improve productivity, and 74% stated they had improved the quality of their product or service. Apprenticeships last between one and six
“inherent societal stereotypes” perpetuate the perception that the heating trade is only for men, which leads to a fl awed recruitment process that prioritises employing more men.
Barriers
Women also reported that they were not encouraged to join technical training courses at school age as these were “only for boys”; and later in life fi nancial barriers and lack of fl exible working limited access for women and ethnic minorities. The report said many people were put off by the cost of training courses and that awareness of available funding was low. So-called ‘banter’ culture is a further disincentive to people who feel they may be exposed to sexist and racist behaviour in the white male dominated heating sector. “The median age of heating engineers today is 55, meaning many professionals will – over the coming
decade – leave the workforce,” said report co-author Dr Vivien Kizilcec, consumer research manager at Energy Systems Catapult. “This coupled with the large skills gap means that the heating sector is on a cliff edge. We must tap into a broader talent pool and bring more women and ethnic minorities into the fold.” BESA has been hosting a series of webinars aimed at employers across the UK to explain and simplify the apprenticeship process, demystify funding, outline potential costs and the likely return on investment. These events also provided opportunities to hear from other building services employers, who shared their experiences and off ered advice to companies looking to recruit apprentices.
“Our industry has a wide range of really exciting opportunities due to its central role in addressing climate change, helping people reduce their energy costs and making buildings safer and healthier, but we often struggle to get that message over to a wide
years depending on the type, level, and previous experience of the candidate. BESA will help employers access the funding available from the government for apprenticeships at all levels from school leavers and university graduates to more experienced workers who want to further their careers or change career direction completely. The BESA ‘Future Skills’ pledge does not require the pledger to commit to taking on an apprentice immediately but will help the Association and its college partners identify and prepare the training resources needed to meet demand. Once the pledge has been made, BESA will
contact the employer to get a better understanding of their requirements and provide advice about possible training providers, funding, and access to suitable candidates. The pledger can also access the Association’s Skills Advisory Service for a wide range of support and advice. For more information go to:
www.theBESA.com/
future-skills
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April 2023
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