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CITB NI INVEST £100K TO ENCOURAGE 100 APPRENTICES INTO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
CITB NI has today launched a campaign to encourage 100 new apprentices into the local construction industry in an effort to meet a demand for an average of over 700 additional people per year over the next five years and to address the skills shortages in traditional trades such as bricklayers, joiners and roofers.
The initiative comes as factors such as skills shortages and an aging workforce are putting the industry at risk, creating opportunities to encourage growth amongst employers and apprentices within the sector.
With this in mind CITB NI has enhanced apprenticeship grants available to CITB NI registered employers meaning that an employer can gain £4000[i] during the 3 year cycle of training an apprentice plus an additional £1500 from the Department for the Economy for employers who take on apprentices from the very start right through to completion of NVQ Level 2 and 3.
Barry Neilson, Chief Executive CITB NI said, “Construction Employers in Northern Ireland are not taking on enough apprentices to help sustain the future of the industry. The recent £400m investment from Government for infrastructure will give a well needed boost to the sector in the short term but employers can help develop the growth of the workforce by taking on much needed apprentices. That’s were CITB NI comes in, we want to help employers realise the importance of apprenticeships, their value and make sure they know how to go about taking on a young person in an apprenticeship role. We have ring fenced £100k for 100 new apprentices in the next training year. We want employers to make a difference, retain the apprentices beyond level 2 and potentially make them an overall part of the workforce. Apprenticeships help nurture and develop a skill, that is why we have boosted the grants funding to help improve the apprenticeship uptake within our sector.”
“With GCSE results out mid-August, it is also an important time for young people and the decisions that they will make, which will help with their career choice. Apprenticeships can provide on-the-job training and a chance to learn vital skills while earning a wage. There is a wide variety of careers in construction which can involve working in a whole range of different locations and workplaces and many construction managers and other construction professionals started their careers as apprentices. Undertaking an apprenticeship is only the first step to a long and professional career”