The Chair of Skills England has said the apprenticeship journey must be simpler for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK as demand for housebuilding, infrastructure and the transition to clean energy increases
Phil Smith CBE shared his views during a visit of training provider JTL’s West Midlands centre in Aston last week to discuss how the skills system can better support employers and apprentices.
During the visit, he said: “It was great to see JTL West Midlands’ training first-hand, and to hear directly from apprentices and the employers about what’s working well. We really value this local insight at Skills England.
“Taking on an apprentice is one of the best investments a business can make, and the roundtable was a reminder of how much simpler that journey needs to be for small and medium-sized employers in particular.”
The visit comes against a backdrop of growing employer demand for skilled electricians and plumbers, as JTL’s research shows the UK’s electrical workforce remains 25% smaller than in 2018 and on course to shrink by a further 32% by 2038 without intervention.
Apprenticeship workforce ‘shrinking’ as skills demand spikes
During the visit, Smith toured the centre’s facilities, talked with training staff and apprentices, and took part in an employer roundtable chaired by Chris Claydon MBE, JTL’s Chief Executive. Employers discussed how government policy could better support apprenticeship training, including employer incentives, simplifying the skills system, and removing barriers to creating apprenticeship places.
Claydon added: “We were delighted to welcome Phil Smith to JTL West Midlands. Apprenticeships are the gold standard route into the electrical and plumbing trades, but the workforce is shrinking at a time when housebuilding, infrastructure and the transition to clean energy all depend on it.
“Three in four of our employer partners are small and medium-sized businesses, so the system needs to work for them. That means a stronger hiring incentive, a simpler route in, and fair access to capital funding for independent training providers like JTL.
“We were grateful for the chance to make that case directly to the Chair of Skills England, and to show him the quality of training happening here in Birmingham.”
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