I have just read with interest statistics released by Department for Education that show there has been a 24 per cent fall in apprenticeship starts for the 2017/18 academic year compared with the previous academic year.
I think most construction companies share the same concerns as us over how we attract people into the industry, and especially young people… and especially women. We have an article in ‘In-Cumbria’ in January that talks to two of our female employees, one of whom is our senior projects manager. The opportunities for women in construction are excellent (and well paid).
I was just discussing how we encourage young people into the industry with a colleague yesterday in relation to the ‘Carlisle Ambassadors’ event she attended in Carlisle recently. The Group are setting up a ‘Young Ambassadors’ project and we are keen to offer our support to this initiative.
We currently employ four apprentices; three at our Head Office and one on our Wigton site; that’s a 1/7th of our workforce and confirms our commitment to encouraging young people into our business. I’m not saying this in an ‘aren’t we good/look at us’ way, but it helps our business, introducing energy and fresh (young!) ideas.
Nicky Gordon, Managing Director