Future will be bleak if we don't support today's apprentices

Published on Wednesday 28 October 2009 17:56

TODAY'S young workers are essential to Scotland's economic recovery plan. Difficult as the economic climate may be, Scotland must continue to provide opportunities for young people now to avoid a skills shortage in the future.

Current conditions in the building industry are a case in point. Apprentices are integral to the future of our industry and we rely upon a consistent supply to bring in fresh skills.

However, this year alone, more than 900 construction apprentices have been made redundant in Scotland. To cut such a significant number of young people is incredibly damaging, not only to them as individuals but the sector as a whole. And though redundancies may provide short-term financial relief to cash-strapped firms, we will pay a heavy price in future when faced with a thriving industry and too few skilled workers.

In construction, the number of new apprentices starting work is down more than 60 per cent on last year.

To continue to train apprentices and avoid a future skills black hole, we must be innovative and implement more creative initiatives. The industry can adapt but such creative thinking must become the norm rather than the exception. Still, the building industry cannot weather the current economic storm without significant and long-term government support.

The Scottish Government's announcement that it is to allocate an additional 16 million to modern apprenticeships should be commended. But how is it being spent? Through the Adopt an Apprentice scheme, the Scottish Government has pledged funding to help redundant apprentices find alternative employment and complete their training programmes. While this is positive in theory, implementation has failed to live up to expectations. As the scheme offers minimal recompense and inadequate funding to employers, firms stand to lose further financially by taking part.

The scheme also fails to recognise that, in a climate where firms are struggling to retain their current apprentices, focus must be on providing them with adequate support to retain existing apprentices; only then should we concentrate upon encouraging additional apprentice uptake.

Ministers should remain mindful that increased focus on new apprenticeships in trades such as hairdressing and tourism cannot occur to the detriment of Scotland's "bread and butter" trades, such as building and plumbing.

Robust evaluation methods should be implemented now to measure the success of schemes and if initiatives are found to be lacking, amended accordingly.

There is an irony that while the Scottish Government has voiced its support for apprentices, its recent announcement that capital project funding will be significantly cut will reduce the need for them. This has been met with understandable concern throughout the building industry.

But there is also an opportunity. Focus must now move from national developments to smaller projects out there. Schemes funded as a result of the Town Regeneration Fund will include repair and maintenance projects across Scotland, which will provide ideal training grounds for apprentices.

The government could consider more initiatives such as this while the building industry must seize such opportunities to ensure our apprentices are provided with high-quality learning opportunities.

We must keep employment rates within the industry as high as possible; adopt innovative methods to support our apprentices; and engage with the Scottish Government to ensure support provided is targeted and effective.

&#149 Andy Mallice is the managing director of Rok Scotland