Redundancy hits 900 construction trainees
More than 900 construction trainees and apprentices will have been made redundant over the past year by the end of August, according to figures.
The data was released by the Scottish Building Federation and collated by Construction Skills - the UK’s Sector Skills Council for construction - and member organisations.
Figures from independent construction apprenticeship registration body the Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council show the number of new construction apprentices starting work since the beginning of 2009 is down more than 60 per cent compared to the same period in 2008.
SBF chief executive Michael Levack, who is also employers’ secretary to the SBATC, said: ‘There can be no doubt that Scottish construction, traditionally one of the Scottish economy’s largest recruiters of apprentices, is facing unprecedented challenges.
‘We’ve heard a lot of bold pledges recently from the Scottish Government about what it’s doing to create new apprenticeships across the economy in sectors such as retail and the creative industries and to support the Glasgow Commonwealth Games legacy.
‘Scottish ministers’ continued focus on promoting new apprenticeship places is laudable. But a great deal more must be done to safeguard existing apprentices and apprenticeship aces – particularly in strategically important industries like construction.’
He added it would be more economic for the government to give more money to struggling construction firms to retain their existing apprentices to stop them being made redundant.
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