World Mental Health Day (Thursday 10th October) always brings a focus on what more could or should be done to support our industry’s workforce. Greater awareness of some of the issues can only be a positive thing, but for the Lighthouse Charity, our work to improve the wellbeing of our construction community is continuous; every hour, every day, every month.

It is estimated that there are currently more than 700,000 suicides per year worldwide, making it a critical issue that affects individuals and communities worldwide. Among men in the US, UK and Australia, construction has one of the highest suicide rates of any sector, making it an industry with some of the worst mental health rates. According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) annual report on occupational injuries, there’s been a 7.7% increase in construction fatalities and a 13.1% increase in suicides in 2022 over 2021.

Throughout September, we honor World Suicide Prevention Day and National Suicide Prevention Month in the US, a time to shift public perception, elevate resources, and spread hope. While these statistics are shocking, advocates and organizations are engaging in open and honest discussions about prioritizing mental health and changing the narrative on suicide. 

Introduction

The Cross-Industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force (CCATF) proudly boasts 250 member organisations who collectively support a large share of the construction industry’s apprenticeship placements. Most of these companies are also intrinsically embedded within the wider workforce development throughout the sector. Across our membership base, we are currently building towards underpinning support for 50,000 live apprenticeship placements.

In a new approach, and to recognise the outstanding work being undertaken by a significant number of our members, we are introducing a new series of “Member Case Studies”.

These Case Studies will look, in some detail, at individual organisations, what they are doing in respect of apprenticeships, skills development and training and shine a spotlight on their approach to upskilling the industry.

International skills charity NOCN Group has released a new report that analyses the current global construction skills landscape and the implications of skills gaps for the UK’s economic growth. It raises questions for the new Government’s approach to setting up Skills England, as well as investment in 1.5 million new homes and Net-Zero infrastructure projects.

Bridget Phillipson confirms government will review the controversial plans by the end of the year – but only 2024 cuts have been paused so far

The new government has partially paused reforms to post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below, halting this year’s planned defunding of some BTECs and other alternatives to T Levels.

AWARD-WINNING flexi job apprenticeship agency EN:Able Futures is celebrating, having supported 500 apprentices in 10 years - helping to boost career prospects in the north.

Mia Borne has become the 500th apprentice for EN:Able Futures, joining as a Level 2 roofer with Innercity Roofing in November. She has been working to support a large project at Ecclesfield Library in Sheffield, gaining experience in felting and reroofing, as well as laying, splitting and cutting tiles.

As she develops her skillset through on-the-job training, Mia will be given more responsibility, helping to strengthen her knowledge and experience over the two-year course.

Boosting Routes into the Industry aims to contribute to the discussions in the construction and built environment industry on how we will be able to maintain and develop a sufficient number of competent and productive people in the workforce, in trades, operational, professional, technical and managerial roles, who can deliver what the UK will need to move to a sustainable and Net Zero economy and society, which complies with the requirements of the Building Safety Act.

The need for sustainable and effect outreach capabilities within the schools and wider education sector has never been greater.

People across the country set to benefit from more skills training, with £200 million to help them launch careers in key industries.

The CCATF is supporting and providing project management services for a new and innovative skills and training pilot and project aimed at encouraging new talent into the construction sector. With an underpinning ambition of accessing those individuals that may find it harder to gain employment this project, in the pilot phase, focuses on the London regions and boroughs.

Any reform of the apprenticeship levy should first ensure it fully delivers – and is seen to deliver - what it was intended to.

Government pledges to introduce Advanced British Standard and increase apprenticeships

Last year marked the first ever NFB Top 100 Most Influential Women in Construction Awards. It was the start of real change for the industry, showcasing women in the sector to make female and non-binary role models more visible and accessible. Its purpose was to make the change and build construction as more inclusive together with plugging the skills gap.

Our industry is experiencing major change with both demand for skilled workers and new skills happening at the same time.

 The move to Net Zero is accelerating this; creating new jobs with new skills, but as importantly increasing the need for more construction workers as we build new non-fossil fuel power stations, windfarms, solar farms, infrastructure and retrofit some 29 million domestic and commercial premises.

MPB Structures Ltd are one of the UK’s top 10 Concrete Frame specialist contractors, operating across London, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

They have just confirmed the appointment of Martyn Price MBE as their Business and People Development Director, signalling a major investment in developing a sustainable future talent pipeline and the skills and competencies of their existing workforce.

The Rt.Hon. Robert Halfon, Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education has today provided an update on the first 6 months of the 2022 to 2023 academic year and the full-year apprenticeship achievement rates for the 2021 to 2022 academic year.

A full transcript of the update is available here.

The construction workforce needs to be reskilled for the digitised, Net-Zero economy underpinned by modern methods of construction by 2030.  Government’s policy is to support this step change in competency and skills and it plans, working with industry, to both rationalise occupations and upgrade qualifications to match new safety and quality standards by 2027.

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) has slammed plans to axe the traineeship programme, as announced in a ministerial statement made recently (Monday 12 December).

Speaking about the recently produced white paper, Angela Carney at Carney Consulting offers her reflections on the findings within the “Building construction operational workforce of 2030” white paper.

Providers will need to 'present conclusive evidence that costs of delivery have been substantially impacted'

But plans to scrap thousands of level 2 and below courses go ahead

Building the construction operational workforce of 2030

In direct response to the governments review of post-16 qualifications at level 2 and below earlier this year leading construction apprenticeships and skills membership organisation the Cross-Industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force (CCATF) began a collaboration with NOCN Group, a market-leading international Awarding Organisation with a significant focus in the construction sector.

Mayor of Birmingham, Andy Street, talks with CCATF Chair, Martyn Price, MBE, about the paper. 

In direct response to the governments review of post-16 qualifications at level 2 and below earlier this year leading construction apprenticeships and skills membership organisation the Cross-Industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force (CCATF) began a collaboration with NOCN Group, a market-leading international Awarding Organisation with a significant focus in the construction sector.

With an ever present confusion relating to certain interpretations of what EPA's are and are not, this short guide aims to help remove many of the most important and common misunderstandings.

After young people have completed their GCSEs there are a range of possibilities open to them including continuing education by taking A levels or going down one of several technical education routes now available to them, including T Levels.

Here, we provide some of the exciting options for post-16 education.

Hundreds of thousands of young people nervously await news of their A Level, T Level and level 3 VTQ grades today. It’s an exciting time for those who receive the results they were looking for. However, it’s a stressful time for those may not have quite achieved the grades they were hoping to with a scramble to decide what to do next. Either way, the next few weeks are the start of a new chapter in so many young people’s lives – but are those young people making the most informed choice they can?

Last week, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) published version one of the apprenticeship training rules for 2022/23. These rules come into force on 1 August and are an update after the clarification period which followed publication of the draft rules in May.

Following the ESFA and Department for Education (DfE) reorganisation, the rules are set by the DfE policy team, but administered by the ESFA. There were some real positives announced in the draft rules, however some concerns remained. Version one of the rules contains some further improvements from the draft guidance, however, with just a few days to go until implementation,  providers have had to get up to speed with very little notice.

Apprenticeships experts warn that the Treasury must be more transparent on how it spends the billions returned to its coffers. Rigid apprenticeship system blamed for billions of skills funding going unspent by businesses and being returned to the Treasury

Calls renewed for apprenticeship incentive payments as data shows ‘rebalance’ towards young people

Employers and the wider industry are being reminded of the importance of ensuring those on, or about to enter, apprenticeships are using the appropriate Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card – specifically the Apprentice card.

At sixteen I decided I wanted to be part of the construction industry but I wasn’t certain in which role. I had previously approached O’Halloran & O’Brien Ltd and I was fortunate to be offered a 2 week structured work experience programme. The work experience opportunity really helped to develop my understanding of the construction industry and the varied job roles.

SkillBuild, delivered by CITB, is the largest multi-trade skills competition in the UK for construction trainees and apprentices. 

Leading education charity NOCN Group announces sponsorship of UK construction apprenticeship support organisation CCATF.

Mr Martyn Price

Chairman, Cross-Industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force   

Dear Mr Price,

15 February 2022

Thank you for your letter of 20 January about supporting progression into apprenticeships.

It is always useful to receive insight from sector bodies and I have passed on your suggestions to policy officials.

The Right Honourable Alex Burghart MP

Thursday 20^th January 2022 Dear Minister,

RE: Apprenticeship Incentive Payments & alignment with Kickstart placements 

I’d firstly like to take the opportunity to congratulate you on your recent appointment and look forward to engaging with you on apprenticeship and skills related matters in the future. We enjoyed a purposeful relationship with your predecessor and hope that we can build upon that successful dialogue. Gillian also kindly offered a valuable contribution to our recent CCATF Apprenticeship Vision 2021/22 document, which I enclose and hope you consider this to still be both relevant and supportive of apprenticeships within the construction sector.

Lee Marley Brickwork (LMB) is one of the UK’s leading integrated brickwork, scaffolding and stone sub-contractors. With premises already in Reading, Edinburgh, Leeds, and Nottingham, the company are delighted to announce the opening of their new London Head Office conveniently located in Notting Hill. Easily accessible with good transport links, Notting Hill is one of London's most vibrant and iconic neighbourhoods.

Letter of Response received from Gillian Keegan MP. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills

A young carpenter has become one of the UK’s leading specialist interior fit-out contractors first on site apprentice in London to complete a national assessment programme.

Having undertaken a recent survey of its members the Cross Industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force (CCATF) has posted some impressive results in terms of its support for apprenticeships across the construction sector.

CCATF Chair, Martyn Price, MBE, has written to Rt. Hon. Gillian Keegan seeking an extension of the incentives currently being offered in support of apprentices. A copy of the letter has been reproduced below.

_______________________________________________________________

A rallying call has come from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the industry for construction employers to increase the number of female apprentices in their business.

A newcomer to a leading specialist interior fit-out contractor has encouraged more women to consider a career in the construction industry.

The strategy sets out more detail on:

• Vision and strategic priorities
• The CLC’s delivery plan
• How the CLC works
• How the industry can get involved

Around 350,000 new construction jobs will need to be created by 2028 to keep the government’s commitment to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 on track.

The Chancellor, the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, has made technical education a pivotal feature of the Budget today after declaring that “protecting, creating, and supporting jobs is my highest priority.”

The crucial announcements were:

To mark National Apprentice Week (8-14 Feb) The Guinness Partnership, housing association, celebrates its apprenticeship programme and the value apprentices bring to local communities.

Jake Day from Chesterfield was inspired to take up plumbing as a career by his dad, who was in the trade himself. Jake successfully completed an apprenticeship and has now secured a full-time role working for The Guinness Partnership as a qualified plumber.

To mark National Apprentice Week (8-14 Feb) The Guinness Partnership, housing association, celebrates its apprenticeship programme and the value that apprenticeships bring to local communities.

National Apprentice Week runs between the 8^th-14^th February and this year the team at CCATF Member, Lee Marley Brickwork Ltd are celebrating their amazing apprentices and how well they’ve adapted to the changes in training that Covid-19 has created.

`The Hamish Ogston Foundation (HOF) has announced a grant of £535,000 to the Cathedrals’ Workshop Fellowship (CWF) to fund twenty-one stonemasonry and joinery trainees at English cathedrals in 2021, as part of a longer-term investment aimed at keeping alive the specialist skills needed to repair and maintain our cathedrals.

Name: Knate Smith

Age: 18:

Joined EE Smith Contracts: September 2019

Apprenticeship: Level 2 in carpentry at Leicester College

With offices in Surrey and Kent this thriving business, recognised as one of the fastest growing businesses in the sector, seeks to make a significant impact on the skills shortage in the region by opening its own training academy. Providing 1,000 training places and delivering industry approved training to NVQ level, the organisation is taking direct action to address what it sees as a debilitating shortage of trained workers in groundworks and civil engineering roles.

The Cross-Industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force (CCATF) is delighted to announce it will be collaborating with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) on skills and apprenticeship related issues within the region as the WMCA becomes the latest high-profile organisation to join the CCATF.

Kwasi Kwarteng, the Eton-educated MP for Spelthorne, has taken over from Nadhim Zahawi as construction minister .

A London South Bank University (LSBU) student has won a prestigious Construction Services Apprentice of the year award at the BAME Apprenticeships Awards 2020.  A second, female engineering LSBU apprentice has also been highly commended.

The Cross-Industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force (CCATF) have announced that Transport for London (TfL) have become the latest high-profile organisation to join their member community.

Strategic Thinking

I have heard it said that Covid-19 could be viewed as a ‘Time Machine’ that has transported our future to us sooner than we expected. Epidemics such as Covid-19 tend to accelerate pre-existing trends i.e. Digital transition & interfaces for a wide range of tasks, online interactions & relationships, more home working etc. Therefore, there has never been a better time to consider an organisation/business strategy to benefit from the ‘Time Machine’. It seems to me that we have to re look (revisit) the term ‘Strategy’ if we wish to benefit from this monumental (historic) change.

We’re pleased to share the news that T Levels have now started

Calling out to all apprentice employers, inspirational apprentices, rising stars and individuals who champion apprenticeships - as the National Apprenticeship Awards 2020 are now open for entries!

Employer incentives for hiring new apprentices applications go live

Dear Secretary of State,

Construction Plant - Apprenticeship related issues

Introduction

This guide explains what an employer needs to do and the things they need to consider if they want to employ an apprentice.

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has today (4 August 2020) published its consultation outcomes which confirm the arrangements to simplify the External Quality Assurance (EQA) of apprenticeship End Point Assessments.

Graham Hasting-Evans from @NOCNGroup discusses the Chancellors Summer Economic Statement

COVID-19 presents the greatest challenge to our Country since World War Two.  Accordingly, we need actions that match up to the scale of the challenge.

The funding will triple the number of traineeships available to young people and tackle the rise in youth unemployment.

A new package of support to help employers and FE providers deliver high-quality industry placements which are at the heart of pioneering new T Level qualifications have been announced today (Friday 3 July) by Gillian Keegan, Minister for Skills and Apprenticeships.

The 16+ Oyster card provides free travel for students in London - but it is set to scrapped, affecting thousands of disadvantaged students

The Association of Colleges has written to transport secretary Grant Shapps, urging him against scrapping free travel for 16- to 18-year-olds in London

The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has called on the Government to set up COVID-19 testing stations on major construction sites around the UK to ensure any outbreaks are tracked and traced as quickly as possible, enabling construction to bounce back quickly and safely.

Robert Halfon @Halfon4harlowMP explains what he means by a guarantee of an apprenticeship for young people 

The Department for Education has announced the 88 new providers selected to deliver T Levels from September 2022. 

This year marks the third anniversary of the government’s apprenticeship reforms, and with each passing year, we’ve seen the commentary on it evolve.

The Right Honourable Gavin Williamson MP
Secretary of State for the Department for Education

Tuesday 28^th April 2020

Dear Secretary of State,

RE: Exceptional (construction) apprenticeship support measures 

New skills minister Gillian Keegan has pledged “significant funding” for additional small business apprenticeships in the “coming year”, the Association of Employment and Learning Providers has claimed. 

Employer Brief

Learning and Work Institute (L&W), an independent research organisation, are conducting research on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE) to inform their understanding of how people are supported to progress through apprenticeships, to at least Level 3 and above, including any barriers to this.

Following the first, hugely successful three-year core funding support agreement, the CCATF have now received formal confirmation from City & Guilds of an initial one-year extension up to the end of 2020.

Ammanford apprentice, mother-of-two Lynsey Davies has beaten builders across the UK to scoop the award for the Best Apprentice in the prestigious Federation of Master Builders’ (FMB) Master Builder Awards 2019. These awards are designed to celebrate the nation’s best builders and the winners have just been announced in front of a packed audience at a ceremony in London.

The National Apprenticeship Service is holding webinars regarding non-levy employers joining the apprenticeship service.

Last week, NAS announced further details for SMEs (that don’t pay the levy), on accessing the apprenticeship service from 2020: https://bit.ly/2QAauIk.

In order to support small and medium-sized employers joining the apprenticeship service, NAS is also hosting dedicated webinars for intermediary organisations. Unfortunately, these will not include policy information or Q&A sessions due to pre-election restrictions.

You can register to join the webinars here and the sessions will be hosted on the following dates: 

• Friday 29 November
• Wednesday 18 December

 Please also feel free to forward this message on to any respective employers which you feel would be of use for.

City & Guilds has been awarded the contract to deliver two T Level technical qualifications under the Construction route in: Building Services Engineering and On-Site Construction. The organisation said, "We’re very excited to be part of this new direction for technical education. These new qualifications will be developed in collaboration with EAL (Excellence Achievement and Learning)."

 “Would you like milk?”

"Would you like milk?” Every day Daniel estimated he would be saying this over 100 times to customers. He was fed up and needed a change. Now Daniel wakes up for work excited and relishes the chance to get stuck in. He loves being able to work outside on a site and feels valued by Balfour Beatty who are putting so much into his training. Daniel started his apprenticeship journey in February 2016.

In February of 2016 Billy Walton embarked on his journey to become a Materials Technician with Balfour Beatty. It was not always a smooth journey to get to this stage, but Billy, through determination and dedication has hit the ground running and is now showcasing his talent at the Balfour Beatty site on the M3.

Three SCS Group staff who started at the smoke control and Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) company as apprentices are progressing well within the firm having completed their apprenticeships.

Luke Jones, Josh Parkhurst, and Edd Wilkinson all did different apprenticeships that saw them studying at college as well as undertaking practical training at the company.

Jamie O’Hara, a 26-year-old Shopfitter / Project Manager from Tekne Shopfitting Limited recently participated in the CITB ‘Future Made’ Campaign as ‘Jamie The Shopfitter’.

 London South Bank University (LSBU) is the first UK university to be invited {insert date here} to become a member of the Cross-industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force (CCATF),

Each apprenticeship is allocated to one of 30 funding bands, which range from £1,500 to £27,000.

When the Institute makes a funding recommendation, we take into account a range of factors including: quotes from training providers; a review of training and assessment costs; a comparison with similar standards; and affordability. The Secretary of State for Education then makes the final decision.

In May, Lucy Rigler wrote a blog summarising the Funding team’s first wave of improvements, which were aimed at making the funding process easier to understand. Having recently taken on Lucy’s role, I thought it would be useful to answer some of the common myths around funding band decisions to give you more information about how we reach our recommendations.

Generation Z is most commonly associated with those born between 1995 and 2010. They are the first generation who are unlikely to remember a time before the internet. They have grown up with an array of technology with connectivity 24/7.

Chancellor Sajid Javid has unveiled more than £600m of new infrastructure spending, as he commits to an ‘infrastructure revolution’ over the next 12 months

 The infrastructure revolution funding, which will come from the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), will go towards the construction of roads, rail links, schools and other infrastructure schemes.

T Levels are new, two-year level 3 technical programs that will sit alongside apprenticeships and A Levels within a reformed skills training system, primarily aimed at 16-18 learners. T Levels have been designed to create the skills revolution needed to meet the needs of our economy and are being developed in partnership with Government, business and education.

With A-Level students in receipt of their results, the National Federation of Builders (NFB) wanted to highlight that construction is the most exciting and innovative industry in the United Kingdom and it’s not just for those wanting to get their hands dirty!

If you are still deciding your career path, the following facts may help you consider construction as the most rewarding and exciting of all your options.

Nadhim Zahawi has been named as the new construction minister – making him the third person to hold the post this year.

Students who achieve the very top grade in their T-level qualification will have the equivalent of three A*s at A-level, it has been announced.

 University admissions service Ucas says a starred distinction will be worth 168 Ucas points - the same as three A*s, each worth 56 points. 

Those who are awarded a merit will have the equivalent of three Bs at A-level. The government says the "size and rigour" of the new T-level course is comparable to studying three A-levels.

 The two-year qualifications are being brought in England next September.

Today, Tuesday 30 July, the Government have announced that the new Education Secretary Gavin Williamson will be leading on the skills brief with ministerial support from Children’s Minister Kemi Badenoch.

As already announced Jo Johnson will return to the department. This will be in his previous role as Universities Minister, in addition to also returning as a minister at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

A Department of Education spokesperson said:

All ministerial appointments have now been made and the Education Secretary will be leading on the skills brief, with support from the new Children’s Minister Kemi Badenoch.As the Prime Minister has said, further education and skills will be a priority for this government - and the Education Secretary taking the lead for this vital work is a reflection of that commitment.

Article courtesy of www.gov.uk