{"id":39575,"date":"2024-04-09T16:04:32","date_gmt":"2024-04-09T15:04:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsblogsnew.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=39575"},"modified":"2024-04-08T16:54:07","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T15:54:07","slug":"state-of-construction-apprenticeship-report-2024-published-5-decrease-in-uk-construction-apprenticeships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=39575","title":{"rendered":"State of Construction Apprenticeship Report 2024 published: 5% decrease in UK construction apprenticeships"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Fresh data analysis, from the Construction Apprenticeship Report 2024, conducted by Protrade, has revealed that there has been a 5% decrease in the uptake of construction apprenticeships across the UK in the last 12 months.<\/h3>\n

image for illustration: Open Government Licence v3.0<\/em><\/h6>\n

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\u2026 Construction has a history of struggling to attract female and ethnic minorities\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

Protrade writes:<\/p>\n

A review of the latest Government data shows there were approximately 24,530 new apprentices taken on in construction between 2022-23, down from the 26,060 recorded the previous year (2021-22).<\/p>\n

Whilst those figures remain higher than the ones posted in 2019-20 and 2020-21, the latest decline highlights the sector\u2019s continuing struggle to entice people into the industry, amid the skills shortage crisis.<\/p>\n

To help counteract that, The UK government set a target of\u00a03 million apprenticeship starts in England between 2015 and 2020, focusing on sectors such as engineering, construction, and ICT. However, given the sector\u2019s continuing struggle to meet its target, the Construction Industry Training Body (CITB) suggests that\u00a0approximately 45,000 people would need to join the sector every year for the next five years\u00a0to meet the growing demand.<\/p>\n

Forecasts indicate that the UK have the fastest-growing construction market of the major Western European economies over the next 15 years. The sector was estimated to have hit \u00a3381 billion in revenue in 2023 alone.<\/p>\n

Analysing the latest data set, Craig Sanders, Joint Managing Director at Protrade, said: \u201cWhile there is an acknowledgement that more needs to be done to raise awareness of a career in construction, there remain barriers that need overcoming. There is still a notable lack of sector-specific focus within settings like education. It\u2019s crucial to enhance awareness of construction college opportunities and foster a more accessible approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe construction industry needs to ask itself the question as to whether it is setting the bar too high for entry-level positions, particularly when it comes to high academic requirements. We\u2019re in danger of unintentionally excluding valuable talent by setting impossibly high standards as we compete with other job opportunities in different sectors that have become more favourable.<\/p>\n

\u201cContrary to outdated perceptions, today\u2019s construction industry is cleaner and safer. We need to dispel the lingering notion of it being a \u2018dirty\u2019 environment and encourage a fresh perspective among potential apprentices.\u201d<\/p>\n

The state of construction apprenticeships: a deeper analysis<\/h2>\n

When analysing the last five years of apprenticeship uptake within construction, data shows that very little progress has been made since 2018.<\/p>\n

As previously alluded to in this report, approximately 22,700 people took up apprenticeship positions in construction between 2022-23, representing a decline year-on-year when compared to 2021-22 figures which were at their highest over the last five years.<\/p>\n

The average construction apprenticeship role uptake in the UK over the last five years (2018-2023):<\/p>\n